Two Headed Coin
by CaelynAilene
Summary: Enemies through their school years, barely civil acknowledging one another in wizard society after the Second Wizarding War, now forced together as their children have become the best of friends at Hogwarts. Harry and Draco begin by staring at each other across a table, only occasionally speaking a word or two, but over time an unlikely friendship might just form. more inside
1. Prologue

**A/N - Hello to any and all readers. This is my first attempt at ff, though I've written original stories for years I recently was bit by the HP FF bug. I apologize in advance for any grammatical errors. I tried editing it myself as I went looking at the beta page and it was a bit overwhelming. There are quite possibly several examples of the bane of my writing existence ROWC, run-ons with comma but I've tried to eliminate them. I have also tried to delete the double spaces between sentences (old habits are hard to break) :) As this is my first ff I'd love reviews and I won't even ask you to be kind but I will ask you to be please be constructive and if anyone is willing to be a beta for me please let me know. I also apologize in advance for any particularly poor usage of British slang. I'm an American doing the best I can.**

 **A/N 2 - First posted this over a year ago and am finally going through updating and editing an typos. Reviews are still welcomed and appreciated as new readers find this story especially as it's still a work in progress. Enjoy!**

 **Story will be epilogue compliant though not compliant with some of the things the great JKR has since released about the lives of her characters after the war.**

 **Mainly a Harry/Draco friendship story with possibility of Drarry in the future, begins with Harry/Ginny**

Prologue (one year post Battle of Hogwarts)

Hermione was the first one to say it. "They're really sort of two sides of the same coin you know." This lead to outraged gasps and shouts from everyone sitting at the table. Everyone but Harry himself that is. He'd opened his mouth to object then closed it again. If Hermione had said it, it was something she had put some thought into and as she was so rarely wrong maybe it was a thought worth some consideration, though that wouldn't happen in this room, with this crowd.

It all started when Harry announced to the others that he planned on testifying on Draco's behalf at his trial before the Wizengamot. Ron turned a shade of red not usually seen outside of a boiled lobster and began stammering so much no one could understand a word other than "that prat?" and other much less complimentary things never said in earshot of a child or a parent. Ginny asked him if he'd lost his mind. Neville just shook his head. Only Hermione and Luna seemed to understand, though Luna was questionable. Then Hermione uttered those words that would ring through Harry's head for years to come. And all hell really broke loose!

"Bloody Hell Hermione you have to be kidding me."

"Hermione you have absolutely lost it!"

"Harry and Draco have nothing in common! Nothing! What in bloody blue blazes would make you think they do."

"I must say it's nice to not be the one looked at as if I'm crazy for a change."

Hermione attempted to explain that she meant they were both put in the position to fight on their respective sides by the adults in their life. She stressed that neither had really made choices of their own. No one but Harry was listening however. Everyone else continued to yell, whinge, and glower. Well again except for Luna who began to hum and wave Wrackspurts out of the air around everyone else.

Harry refused to listen to the protests. He arrived at the hearing in his Auror robes. He hoped that this outward sign of his chosen career would help the wizards of Wizengamot listen to his testimony along with the fact that he was the "Boy Who Lived", the "Chosen One", and the "Boy Who Died and Lived Again". The look of shock on Draco's face when he stood to present himself as a witness for the defense rather than the prosecution had Harry stifling a chuckle. This was most certainly not the time or place to laugh. Naturally Draco would never have considered this possibility. He hated Harry, had for years and would assume Harry hated him as he had since they were eleven. He'd likely be mortified if he knew that the truth was Harry pitied him, felt for him, actually empathized with Draco's situation. Draco seemed to have never thought of anyone but himself and his parents and their safety and yet with that in mind he hadn't identified Harry when the Snatchers had taken he, Ron, and Hermione to Malfoy Manor.

Harry spoke about the night Dumbledore died, all he had learned of Malfoy's ever more desperate attempts to follow Voldemort's orders to kill Dumbledore to save his own life. He spoke of finding Malfoy in the boy's lavatory earlier that year crying and confiding in Moaning Myrtle. He shared what happened at the Manor, and in the Room of Requirement when Malfoy insisted Crabbe and Goyle not kill him. Adding that Malfoy drug an unconscious Goyle through the room trying to save his friend from the Fiendfyre. He offered to allow the members of the Wizengamot to view his memories of each of these events through a Pensieve holding up a vial filled with silver liquid and offering it to the Chief Warlock who wave it away. Finally he ended his testimony with one last statement.

"Draco has been a bully for years, anyone not a member of Slytherin house during our years at Hogwarts will testify to that. He may have been a Death Eater, though I find it highly doubtful that he volunteered to become one of his own free will. Even if he believes he did I think there is more than enough proof that it was under coercion. He may have been plotting to kill Dumbledore. He was not Imperiused and has never claimed to be, however I truly believe everything he did in the service of Voldemort was done under duress in the attempt to save his own life and that of his parents, because he was not given a true choice. His supposed choicce was serve or die and might I remind you he was an underage wizard at the time. I believe this so strongly that not only am I here to speak to you I have brought along Draco's wand that I took from him in that fight at Malfoy Manor. I've brought it along to return to him as I think that he can be trusted to no longer use it for malfeasant purposes. Please keep in mind that Draco Malfoy has never attempted to deny nor excuse his involvement with Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters, rather he has turned himself in for this trial and punishment as you see fit. This also speaks to his change in character." With that he had placed Draco's wand on the desk of the Chief Warlock and turned to face Draco sitting in a chair much like the one he himself had sat in four years ago.

"Draco I never thanked you for not outing me to your aunt and I should have. I have no idea why you denied knowing it was me but it was that that allowed us to escape so thank you. I also never thanked you for trying to stop your friends from killing me, no matter your reason I still say thank you."

Ron remained disgusted that Harry spoke on Malfoy's behalf, but decided it was in his best interest to say no more when Hermione also chose to testify. Ginny didn't agree with Harry's decision either but knew she had to let it go as there was no way to change what had already been done. It didn't stop her from brooding over it though.

Harry had sat through the entire trial, watching as Draco spoke on his own behalf recounting the same tales Harry himself had told as well as many others including the death of Charity Burbage, His pride seemed to be slipping and the practiced arrogance was completely missing. When he was given his sentence of house arrest for a period of four years, twice the amount of time he had spent in the service of Voldemort he appeared relieved. The look of sheer happiness when he was handed back his wand was only momentary, quickly replaced by a blank face which seemed the closest he could come to his formerly haughty look. As he left the room he stopped momentarily in front of Harry, looking at his wand again, nodded and said "Potter" with a complete lack of contempt for the first time in his life, looking only for a moment that he might say more before beginning to walk away and once again stopping. "Granger" he uttered barely above a whisper this time with only half a nod, then he finally strode away with what little pride he could muster.

Malfoy's reaction further infuriated but Ron and Ginny, his lack of gratitude had them more convinced than ever that he hadn't changed a bit, but in private conversations Harry and Hermione decided that this was the best they could expect. That nod and acknowledgment was Malfoy's only way of showing gratitude to Harry without debasing himself further than he already had. His pride might not show on the surface but it was born and bred in him, all the way to the bone.

"Only time will tell if he will return to his old ways," Hermione lamented.

Harry thought he detected a change, though four years of house arrest with his mother and then his father once he was released from Azkaban could leave Draco more bitter than ever. Chances were they would never know as they certainly were not in the same social circles. There really was no reason they would ever cross paths again.


	2. Next Generation Sorting

**A/N - So here starts the actual story beginning the day after the epilogue. For reference please be aware that I had movieGinny in mind when writing and I just don't like that Ginny incarnation as much. I should also clarify that though the story will eventually revolve around Harry and Draco and a developing friendship that's a few chapters off. Thank you to those who have read and followed. If you read please feel free to comment whether you like it or not, again all I ask is that you be constructive because that's what will help me improve. Thanks in advance and enjoy :)**

An owl tapped at the window; Harry stood up to let it in. The small tawny bird flew to a chair and held out its leg. Harry took the message, gave the bird a pet on the head, and a quick treat. It hooted softly then flew back out the window.

"Gin," he called, "First letter from Al is here. And it looks like one from James is right behind it."

Again an owl flew in and perched itself on the chair back stretching out its leg. Harry removed that letter as well, rewarding the owl the same way he had the other.

Ginny entered the room. "Ok I'm here, which letter shall we read first?"

"Well Al's arrived first and it is his first year and first ever letter from Hogwarts so I say we read it first."

Ginny nodded her agreement as Harry unrolled the parchment and began to read.

 _Dear Mum and Dad,_

 _I'm here. This place is huge. James says I'm sure to get lost every day for a week and I think he might be right I really don't want to lose House points before I even get a chance to win any. So Dad, Rose and I talked on the train I hope you don't mind but I told her what you told me about the Sorting Hat._

"What about the Sorting Hat?" Ginny questioned.

Harry looked a bit uncomfortable that he'd never shared this particular story with her before, but he shrugged and told her.

"Wait, you were almost a Slytherin? And you never told me? Does anyone else know? Let me guess you've told everyone but me? No wonder Al has been so worried about being placed there. How could you have told him that?" Ginny was working herself up into a right nasty fit when Harry reached out and took her hand.

"I just told him about it at 9 ¾ when he told us he was worried about that. I wanted him to know that the Sorting Hat will take your feelings into consideration. I was attempting to comfort him after James and Ron had worked him into a lather over stupid House assignments."

"Stupid House assignments, only someone who was supposed to be a Slytherin could say that."

"Ginny that may just be the most ridiculous thing you've ever said," he shook his head.

"Oh you're right Slytherins are all about House pride, that's where it all began wasn't it?"she nearly yelled again.

Harry shook his head, grateful that Lily had gone home with Ron and Hermione the day before to spend time with Hugo. "Ginny you know even Dumbledore wasn't fully in favor of the idea of Houses."

"Because he always had such wonderful thoughts and ideas, the man sent you to your death when you were barely more than a child."

"Ginny!"

She took a deep breath before replying, "Sorry, I know you revere the man, and I know that if it weren't for his machinations we'd all be living in hiding in another country with Voldemort ruling here all but honestly Harry!"

"Honestly what? You still want to change Al's name don't you. You never liked my choice."

"Oh you know I'm fine with Albus but-"

"Yeah there's that but, will you never forgive me for naming our child after Snape? Why must you discount everything he did?"

"I don't but he was a Slytherin."

Again Harry just shook his head, he was never going to understand Ginny and Ron's eternal loathing of any and all things Slytherin. This hatred seemed to grow through the years rather than diminish as you would expect of the feelings of a school rivalry to fade.

"No answer for that right because you can't possibly defend those snakes, especially since you were supposed to be one of them. It explains so much about you, and why you keep secrets so well. Amazingly it probably makes you a better Auror, all that sneakiness."

This wasn't going to get any better, he had to get her off this diatribe. "Ginny do you want to hear the rest of Al's letter or not?"

"I'm not so sure I do."

"Really and what exactly will you do if our son was sorted into the house of snakes? Disown him as your brother threatened to do? Did you lie to him on the platform when you told him with me that it wouldn't matter where he was placed we love him? Were you just putting on a show of being a tolerant witch?" Harry had had enough, he was so tired of fighting, it seemed to be all they did anymore. They could put on a good front on the rare occasions when they were in public or when they were with family but it seemed each day things grew more tense at home. He knew it was as much his fault as Ginny's probably more as he was the one with so many secrets.

She was appalled, "I would never! How could you even say such a thing?"

"You know I know Ron says he's joking when he makes comments like that but I also know he and you have this irrational hatred of Slytherin house."

"Irrational?!" she screamed, "It was a Slytherin that was at fault when I nearly died in the chamber."

"And it was his wife a fellow Slytherin that risked her own life lying to Voldemort telling him I was dead which allowed me to escape and finish him off."

"You know she only did that to save her precious son."

"And would you do any less to save any of our children from death or worse?"

That stopped her for a moment, just long enough for him to hold up the letter while cocking one eyebrow. Ginny looked for a moment like she was going to say something more but sat back in her chair and nodded curtly.

 _She was so sure she'd be sorted into Gryffindor because all Weasley's have been, but she really wanted to be in Ravenclaw, so I told her what you told me and guess what she's in Ravenclaw and I can tell she is thrilled. You might want to warn Uncle Ron though I know how he felt about her being in Gryffindor._

Harry looked at Ginny pointedly wordlessly daring her to say "at least she's not a snake" but she remained silent.

 _I know I know Mum you're wanting to know why I didn't tell you about my Sorting first since we sort in alphabetical order._

Harry stifled a laugh as Ginny rolled her eyes.

 _I was still nervous when Professor Aceron put the hat on my head. It started talking right away, talking about where to put me. It said what I thought it would that I would fit in Slytherin well but as I was a Potter and a Weasley I would fit well in Gryffindor as well. I took a deep breath and told the hat that if it thought I belonged in Slytherin then sort me there. The hat laughed Dad, I swear it laughed and said with bravery like that I had to be in Gryffindor. I'm a Gryffindor Dad! And I've already made a friend or two. A bloke I met on the train was also sorted into Gryffindor and we get on really well. I have my first school chum. Well it's late and I have to start classes in the morning so I'd better get to bed. I want to start early so I have time in case I get lost going to my first class. I love you both! Al_

"He met someone on the train?" Ginny laughed, "Oh boy is history repeating itself, it's just like you and Ron. And I'm sure Rose was in the compartment with them, a new golden trio. I can just see it now."

Harry chuckled as he lay the letter on the table and picked up the parchment from James. "He was worried about not finding friends, worried that James reputation would precede him much as Fred and George's preceded Ron. He wasn't sure anyone would want their kid to be friends with one of those troublemaking Potter boys. James has done all he can to prove he's a not just the son of 'the Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One' and just as much a Weasley. Well that and his grandfather's son for any families that might recall my dad."

Ginny smiled and shook her head, "And I'm sure George is supplying him with plenty of help. You still have the map don't you?"

"Last I checked, and that was when we got home from the station yesterday."

"Good," she sighed in relief, "the last thing he needs is that map."

"Oh I put it under several wards before we left. Thought about bringing it with me and keeping it on me, but I wouldn't be surprised if he managed to pickpocket it from me so I didn't risk it."

"Well come on let's see what he has to say."

Harry held the letter out to her, "Would you like to read it?"

"No you go ahead."

 _Mum and Dad,_

 _You have to do something. Al is making friends with Malfoy._

Ginny sat up straight on the edge of her chair, "He WHAT?"

"Now Gin, I'm sure James is exaggerating, you know how he is. Al probably just said hi or stood near him before Sorting." Harry wasn't sure he believed what he was saying and wasn't sure if he'd rather be right or that Al and Scorpius really become friends. It could be bloody awkward in the family but wouldn't it be wonderful if the new generation could truly live the life of tolerance and acceptance that his generation and those that preceded them spoke about.

Ginny sat back again, "You're right besides the Malfoy boy has to be a Slytherin so they'll only have a few classes together. Keep reading, let's see what it is that James has so misinterpreted this time.

 _It started on the train, I nearly sent you a Howler then. That Malfoy kid was wandering the halls trying to find a place to sit and no one would let him in, not even the Slytherins._

"That poor kid," Harry said.

"Poor kid?" Ginny echoed questioningly.

"Yes, poor kid. Why should he be condemned for the things his father and grandparents did?"

"Harry he's a Malfoy." Ginny rolled her eyes as if the answer were obvious.

"So which of your relatives would you have wanted to judged by? Let's see Fred and George and their craziness, or Percy and his snobbery and aresholeness?"

"That's not even close to the same thing and you know it!" She objected.

"What I know is that even the oldest pureblood wizarding families have had children raised in an atmosphere of "Purebloods are better than anyone else" and still come out not only tolerant but on the side of the half bloods, muggle borns, and blood traitors. Two names immediately pop to mind Sirius and Andromeda. Would you want others to judge Teddy for his relation to the Black and Malfoy families?"

An exasperated sigh escaped Ginny as she stood and stalked to the kitchen, "Again not the same thing. Teddy has been raised better than that."

"Oh really and can you be sure? I mean Andromeda is a Black, the sister of Narcissa and Bellatrix. She was raised in that environment so why don't you judge her the same way?" Harry asked hoping to make her see some sense.

"Harry you can be such a dolt sometimes, Dromeda has proven herself," she said rolling her eyes as if the answer was obvious.

"And Scorpius hasn't but how can he when he's judged immediately for his last name, for his family heritage?"

"Whatever I'm sure the Slytherins will take him right in when he proves he's just like Daddy."

"Sure that'll make him popular there considering his father and grandmother turned on Voldemort at the end. The Malfoy name is mud no matter which side of the war you were on. It's one thing for Draco and his parents to deal with that, it's the fallout from their own actions. Astoria was willing to take it on amazingly enough but this child wasn't even born. So simply by being a child of that family he should be scorned and left to himself, a life of loneliness and misery? Ginny you're not that heartless."

Again she sighed, "He's still a Malfoy."

"And should be allowed to be judged for his own actions only. Let the child alone Ginny."

"As long as he leaves our kids alone."

Harry shook his head in disbelief.

"Just keep reading, we both need to get to work and I have to pick up Lily then drop her at Mom's on the way."

 _He came to our compartment. I told him to bugger off but Al invited him in and then so did Rose. I couldn't stand to be in the same room with that so I took off. He stayed with them the whole trip, when I came back to get my robes before we got off the train they were all laughing together. I tried to talk to Al and Rose, tell him the kid was no good and they should stay away from him but they refused to listen. And Dad he's in Gryffindor, that filthy Malfoy prat got sorted into Gryffindor. The whole table was in shock when he was sorted, no one said a word. We're petitioning Headmaster Flitwick to move him out, resort him. The hat just got it wrong this time. Al is Gryffindor too which I'm sure you know by now. I moved over to make room for him but he went and sat by the prat instead. Dad you have to talk to him. Mum come on. Send a letter to the Headmaster please. Fix this! James_

"Well at least one of our children has some sense," Ginny muttered.

Harry stood up and stalked out of the room, turning only momentarily. "Have you ever stopped to think that that attitude is why our oldest son has become a total git? Have you ever thought about the fact that what you're doing, judging that child and his parents who we haven't seen or talked to in almost two decades, is exactly what they did to us? You're judging him based on who he is, on who his family is, all on his name. Isn't that what the whole bloody war was about, tolerance and acceptance of all no matter who they are or what their heritage?"

Ginny opened her mouth but Harry cut her off, "Don't, don't even bother to say it's different because it's not. Except that now you're on the wrong side of the argument. I'll be staying in London tonight." With that he swept out the door and Disapparated.


	3. Ron's Reaction

**A/N - Thanks to all of the readers, I love looking at the graph to see where you all are. Thanks for the reviews, and please please feel free to review and point out any errors or ask any questions if something is confusing. It's the best way I can improve. So... yeah Al is in Gryffindor, much as I love the idea of him in Slytherin I've seen that done so many times. And the more I thought about it the more I loved the idea of Scorp being in Gryffindor as according to the great JKR he was raised so much differently than his father was. What do you think? Well we got Ginny's reaction in the first chapter and now to see Ron's, bet you can guess what it will be huh? Yeah I was never a huge Ron fan, he just annoyed me (might be my years of teaching middle schoolers an attitude he seems to have perpetually) I know he does mature through the series but he still always comes across to me as impulsively reacting to things rather than thinking them through, then regretting his choices but not learning from that.**

"I just don't understand it Hermione. Why can't they see that what they're doing and saying is wrong? How is it they don't realize that their attitude is poisoning our children? Do they want our kids to be intolerant judgemental prats like Draco and his buddies were when we were kids?" Harry paced back in forth in the small office he normally shared with Ron, who was nowhere to be found right now apparently in as big a huff as his sister over the Sorting at Hogwarts the previous evening.

Hermione shook her head and sighed, "Oh Harry I don't know. Just give it time. They know Al is a great judge of character. They'll realize just as we have that Scorpius has to be a good kid. He's in Gryffindor after all. I wonder how Draco and Astoria took that."

Harry laughed ruefully, "Draco and Astoria? Hell I want to know how Lucius took that. I'd bet anything he was mortified. I'm sure that one won't go over well over with his buddies at Durmstrang."

"Who knows, they may practice and teach the Dark Arts but they weren't all Voldemort fans either, they weren't even all Grindelwald fans back in his time. Narcissa likely wasn't surprised after all Dromeda was Slytherin but Tonks wasn't, and obviously we know Sirius wasn't. So there was already a Hufflepuff and Gryffindor in the family. Maybe those rumors we've heard about Draco and Astoria not being on board the 'Purebloods are best train' anymore are true. If they've raised Scorpius to be more tolerant it might be one reason he wouldn't be in Slytherin."

Harry sat down across from her, "You think that's really possible?"

Again she shook her head, "Harry anything's possible. We were in a war and we were barely of age, no matter what side people were on they were affected. It's bound to change the way some people think. I saw it eighth year. I think one of the best things Professor McGonagall ever did was put all of us eighth years in the same dorm, in class with the seventh years, and hold meetings for those of us that had been in the war to talk it through with no judgements. I really wish you and Ron had been there for that, things might be better now if you had."

Harry sniffed, "No thank you! I loved Hogwarts but helping rebuild was enough, besides those meetings didn't change Ginny's mind about anything. She seems to be worse than ever. And to think she was the one that encouraged all of us to give Luna a chance back in school, when everyone else was making fun of her and talking about how crazy she was just because she was different. I think losing Fred broke the two of them even more than it did George, and I didn't think that was possible."

"I think the difference is George worked through it, Angelina made him talk it out, work it out, fight it out. Our two are more hard headed and really just buried their feelings. They didn't face it as they should have. They forced themselves to move past it. Stubbornness is a trait they share more than the rest of their family."

"That's the understatement of the year," he huffed.

"Harry are you two fighting again?" concern shone on Hermione's face.

"Again 'Mione?" he sighed, "Try still. It seems that's all we do anymore and I don't know how to stop it. We just can't seem to agree on anything anymore and this isn't helping."

Hermione chewed her lip and sighed before replying, "No I guess it wouldn't. Ron wasn't thrilled with Rose befriending Scorpius either. He was all set to send her a Howler telling her she'd better not have anything to do with that boy or he'd bring her home and never let her go back. I managed to distract him and -"

Harry put up a hand and winced, "I really don't want to know how you managed to distract him thanks. That's just too much information really."

"Harry!" Hermione nearly shouted while blushing furiously, "You know if you'd find a way to make up with Ginny maybe you wouldn't be so interested in everyone else's sex life."

"Ugh Hermione you really have to stop. Those are visual images I don't need, and I really can't afford to Obliviate myself thanks!"

They both broke into laughter.

"Why am I not surprised that the two of you are so amused by all of this?" Ron scowled as he edged past Harry to his own desk.

Harry decided a to ignore the topic of the Malfoys, "Oh come on Ron, Rose is brilliant it shouldn't be a shock that she's in Ravenclaw. Honestly I think the reason Hermione was with us in Gryffindor instead of Ravenclaw is because it takes a lot of courage to leave the world you know behind and enter a whole new one."

Hermione blushed again but nodded, "Harry that's exactly what I've always thought. I never felt particularly brave unless I was with you two."

"Like there weren't other muggle borns in other Houses," Ron grumped.

"Fair point," Harry replied.

"And I don't have a problem with Rose being in Ravenclaw." Ron continued ignoring Harry, "Yes I'd love for her to wear the maroon and gold but as long as she's not in Slytherin I'm happy."

"Ronald, we've had this discussion." Hermione intoned.

"What Ron you'd have disowned your daughter if she'd been assigned to dress in green and silver? How very Slytherin of you! That's exactly what Sirius's family did to him you in case you'd forgotten! You're such a prat! And your sister is just as bad. Grow up already and get over the labels will you!" Harry shouted.

"Protego!" Hermione shouted, and waited as the shield bloomed between Ron and Harry.

"He tried to kill you Harry have you forgotten? And they nearly killed Ginny?"

"Bollocks! Malfoy never tried to kill any of us that was - you know what nevermind I've already had this argument today I'm not having it again. I have work to do and so do you."

"Whatever you say, Boss," Ron saluted sarcastically then turned to glare at his wife who dissolved the shield allowing him to stomp from the room being sure to push past Harry as hard as possible.

Hermione just barely got Muffliato cast on the door before Harry screamed his frustration to the ceiling.

"I take it you'll be staying at Grimmauld Place tonight," she asked.

"Tonight, tomorrow, maybe for good," he flopped into his chair.

"Harry you can't mean that?" she cried.

He shook his head slowly, "I don't know Hermione, I'm just not sure we can fix whatever is wrong. It got bad when James left for school, it's been worse as Al got ready to leave. We rarely ever talk anymore and seem to have nothing in common when we do get a chance. To be totally honest, I'm not sure we even love each other anymore."

"Oh Harry that can't be true, you two were meant for each other."

"I don't know. Maybe we just need some time to sort things out. I'll go home eventually but not tonight." He held a hand up. "Yes I know hiding out won't make it better but I'm so tired of fighting over every little thing. I think she regrets ever giving up playing Quidditch to have kids. I mean she loves the kids but I think she misses the competition. I told her to go back to it but she won't do it. She could still play. We don't seem to agree on anything." Harry dropped his head to his hands. "This isn't how this was supposed to turn out. I was supposed to have a marriage like my parents."

Hermione reached out and took Harry's hands. He looked up at her, tears in his eyes. "Harry just relax, it's always tough when a kid leaves for school and life at home changes. Things will get better. Just give it time."

Harry shook his head, "I think we're out of time."

Hermione dropped his hands, "Only if you give up and you're not the type to do that. You never have been." She stood and walked to the door. "Maybe you need to take some time off and take Ginny away somewhere for at least a few days just the two of you. We can keep Lily for you. Think about it."

He looked up, "I will. Thanks Hermione."

"Oh Harry you know you don't have to thank me. I love you. You're my brother." She hugged him.

"Love you too," he muttered into her hair.


	4. Harry home alone

**A/N I know I said this was a Harry/Draco friendship story and well here's the first sort of appearance of Draco. The first thing I wrote ended up being part of a chapter that's still a bit off, the rest of this kind of appeared out of nowhere. Hope you enjoy, thanks for reading. Please feel free to leave any comments, especially constructive criticism. Thanks :)**

Harry wandered the halls of Grimmauld Place over and over unable to sleep and refusing to take a Sleeping Potion for the fourth time in a week. The last thing he needed was to become addicted. This nighttime routine had become standard over the last two months. He tried to be as quiet as possible to allow Kreacher to sleep, while he had come to enjoy the house elf's company this was one of those times he just wanted to be alone.

Alone, that had become his usual state these days when he came home from the office.

Home, who would have ever thought that Grimmauld Place would be his home and yet here was where he came when he didn't work so late that he crashed on the floor of his office after applying a cushioning charm to it if he even had the energy or presence of mind to do that.

The time away with Ginny had seemed like a great plan and it worked for the first few days, well the first day, ok maybe the first few hours. He wished he could figure out what it was that was between them. What was the problem. He'd finally admitted to the nightmares that were the reason he had begun spending so many nights here rather than at home not wanting to wake and scare the children. Why oh why was he reliving the war night after night nearly twenty years later? She couldn't understand and seemed to think he was just seeking attention again or that he was lying. Even when he'd begun tossing and turning in the middle of the third night, yelling out and screaming she didn't show any sympathy. She just seemed irritated, stalking off into another room to sleep for the night.

They had planned to be away for three weeks and were back in one. Harry spent the next two weeks at home trying to work things out. He had tried to talk to Ginny but she was resistant. They would begin to talk and wind up arguing and each going off to a different room. He couldn't figure out what she was so mad. He couldn't figure out why he was so mad. He wanted to ask Ginny what he'd done to upset her so but he couldn't seem to find the words and thought that that alone might be part of the problem. In the end he packed up his things and apparated to the house that was his alone, the grim home no one else wanted to visit any longer. Too many memories he supposed. He could certainly never get Ginny through the doors again.

What had happened to them? They had been so happy, except that they really hadn't, had the? They had found their way back together after the Battle of Hogwarts. Things were awkward but he thought it was just that they had been through so much and they were all grieving. They had settled into a relationship again but it was never what it had been. While they were happy he wondered if much of that had simply been because they were safe again. Things had seemed to work best before the kids were born when they were each off working and seeing each other only every week or so for a few days. The more time they spent together the better it felt when they went off to work again. The more time they spent together the more they had argued.

How had that never hit him before?

They probably should never have married, but then they wouldn't have their kids and he couldn't imagine life without James, Al, and Lily. Though he worried that James was taking more and more after his mother and uncle.

Ron, well that was another story, he had not taken well to Ginny and Harry's split and had moved in with two other Aurors leaving the office he had shared with Harry for so long. Harry was disillusioned it seemed all the way around. He no longer could go home, the home he had shared with is family for nearly twenty years. He no longer felt welcome in the Burrow which had been the only childhood home he'd recognized other than Hogwarts. His best friend was no longer speaking to him and it looked like this time it might be forever. Hermione came round or called when she could but she was stuck between a rock and a hard place with Ron as her husband. James hadn't written to him in weeks though he heard from Al every few days, and Lily had begun to spend weekends with him. He and Ginny spoke rarely and only when absolutely necessary. He sighed as he found himself flipping through the book Hagrid had given him filled with pictures of his parents. Why couldn't his marriage have been as happy as theirs? Even under the threat of Voldemort, in hiding they always seemed to be so deeply in love and happy. What was wrong with him? Ginny was a wonderful mother; she had followed after her mother in taking care of everyone in the house well. It had to be something with him. Could the problem be that he hadn't seen how a good relationship was supposed to work? He was sure his parents were like any other couple and had had arguments and had to work through troubles but he'd never gotten to see it. He was rather distracted by chores and hunger when he lived with his aunt and uncle so he hadn't paid any attention to their marriage, though he doubted that they were an ideal he should aspire too. How hadn't he picked up more from Arthur and Molly? They were certainly a good example. Or had having Voldemort as a part of him, in his head for so long damaged him in some way. It was more than obvious that Riddle was incapable of love, at least by the end. Harry wondered if Riddle had been adopted when he was a baby if he could or would have grown up to love. He shook his head at that thought. It was no use thinking of the what ifs. He had to think of what now. What did he do now

He lay back and stared at the ceiling, going over every event in his marriage up to now. Could he have changed anything, anything at all? He couldn't think of anything but maybe he wasn't remembering things accurately. He needed to find a Pensieve and relive his memories that way. He didn't want to give up. He wanted his family whole. He'd get Hermione to help him locate one, in the meantime he had to set a time to talk with Ginny and decide how they were going to handle Christmas this year. They couldn't pretend as if nothing was wrong but they also wanted to make the time as joyous for the kids as possible.

He must have fallen asleep at some point in his brooding because the next thing he knew daylight was streaming in the window accompanied by the tapping of a beak. Al's letters always seemed to come early in the morning and lately had been brought by a beautiful eagle owl. Harry sat up, stretched, and opened the window. The owl flew in dropped the letter on the bed next to Harry and took up a perch on the back of the chair across the room watching him. Harry scratched his head. This particular owl never wanted treats and usually flew right back out the door after dropping off the missive it carried. Al must want a response to something. He sighed picking up the letter from the bed, opened, and began to read the short message.

 _Dad,_

 _Please just read this and tell me you'll think about it. Please don't just say no like Mum did. Scorpius and I want to hang out over the holiday. We need a place to meet and a way to get there. Scorp says we could probably hang at his family's place. It's not where he actually lives but his grandparents live there and it's closer than his house. He said it's plenty big but you'd have to take me there by Side Along Apparition because we can't use the Floo. I guess no one is allowed to Floo in or out of his house, or maybe it's kind of like your place that only certain people can Floo in and out of I don't know. So Dad please just say you'll think about it._

 _Love you,_

 _Al_

Harry shook his head and reread the letter. Oh brother, well he had raised Al to be tolerant and had preached to everyone in the family that they should give Scorpius a chance to prove he was different from his family but there was no bloody way he was spending a day stuck at Malfoy Manor and he would not leave his son there alone, not with Lucius still in residence. He wasn't surprised Ginny said no and he knew that she expected him to say yes. An afternoon with Malfoy? Well it wasn't like he hadn't suffered through worse in his time. He picked up a quill and small bit of parchment to send off his reply then set it down when a thought struck him. Did he really want Malfoy here in his house? What other choice did he have? He was the one always preaching to his children to give others a chance. It had been a long time since he'd interacted with Malfoy there was no way of knowing how he had changed in that time. He was going to have to buck up and follow the example set by his own son. Again he picked up the quill.

 _Al,_

 _Pick any date other than Christmas Eve or Day and you all can hang out here. Actually I'll send an owl to Scorpius's father myself._

 _Love you too,_

 _Dad_

Harry handed the parchment to the owl and sent it off. Only as the owl flew off did he realize he had seen one much like it years before. Eagle owls must be a Malfoy thing he decided. Now to figure out what to write to Malfoy and to set to cleaning the house. He wouldn't ask Kreacher to do it all. Maybe he could ask Hermione for a few good cleaning spells. He really only used Sirius's old bedroom, the lav, and the kitchen so the rest of the house had done nothing but collect dust for years.

First he set off hunting up a spare piece of parchment, the only one he could find was torn and dirty, which spoke to just how little time he spent here; any correspondence he wrote was done at work. Well time to hit Diagon Alley for some supplies. If he were going to continue living here for the foreseeable future he should probably set up a home office for himself. He put in a quick Firecall to Hermione about helping him before he left the house.

Harry came home with a new owl to keep himself company and for any missives he might want to send. This was the first owl he had owned since he lost Hedwig and he had no intention of becoming as close to this one as he had his snowy white pal. He hadn't even named this one and while he felt a bit duilty about that he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Maybe he'd let Al or Lily do it when they visited. Now to send that letter.

 _Draco and Astoria,_

 _By now I'm sure that Scorpius has told you that he and my son Albus have become good friends. The boys would like to spend some time together over Christmas break away from the demands of scroll writing and other homework. I'd be more than willing to host this. The house I live in is Unplottable however I imagine that at some point in your life you have been here Draco, 12 Grimmauld Place, the old Black home. I told Al any date other than Christmas Eve and Christmas Day work for us. Let me know what date works best for you. You are of course welcome to accompany Scorpius and stay while the boys do whatever boys do that can't do magic when away from school._

 _Harry Potter_

Harry had no idea if or when he might receive a response but this place needed to be cleaned from top to bottom in a way it hadn't since the Order had used it as a headquarters. No matter what, the kids would be spending time here this Christmas and he wanted the place to look welcoming. He wanted the kids to want to come back and visit him and if they saw it the way it was now they would likely run as soon as they stepped foot in the place. He pulled out his wand and went to begin cleaning up a few bedrooms so each of his children had their own place to sleep. He had lost track of time when Kreacher found him under a bed pulling out boxes of the original Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, exactly the kind of thing he wouldn't want Al and Scorpius to find much less James should he ever agree to visit.

"Master Harry an owl has arrived with a letter for you."

Harry stood up, dusted his hands off, took the letter from Kreacher, and gestured to the boxes. "Kreacher please take these to George Weasley's shop in Diagon Alley."

"Yes Master Harry. I'll be making dinner when I return, what would you like tonight?"

Harry looked out the window to see that the sun had set, he shook his head, "Kreacher I'm not really hungry. You don't need to make anything."

Kreacher shook his head vehemently in return. "No Master Harry, you must eat."

"Fine Kreacher, how about some soup." Not that Harry thought he'd eat more than a few bites but if it made Kreacher happy to cook and fuss over him, he'd let the house elf do just that. That was after all why he'd kept Kreacher instead of freeing him as Hermione had wanted. The elf had thrown himself into fits when Harry even mentioned the possibility of freedom. Besides he was getting on in years and Harry just wanted the elf to be content. He had been thrilled when Harry had called him back from Hogwarts to work at Grimmauld Place again. He had kept him as busy as possible in the kitchen and sorting through the attic as it had been filled with things when the Order had been here. That and Kreacher's age had kept him from cleaning the rest of the house so Harry had just kept the rest of the rooms locked.

"Yes Master Harry, I'll start on a wonderful French Onion as soon as I return." Kreacher picked up the boxes and shuffled from the room his tea towel flapping with each step.

Harry reached up to run a hand through his hair and instead hit himself in the head with the envelope, pulled his hand back down and looked closer. There was no indication of where it had come from, no family seal, and nothing written on the envelope itself. He opened it and slid out the parchment inside.

 _Potter,_

 _Scorpius has written home frequently about his friendship with your son. I know he would greatly enjoy spending time with him over break. I do recall visiting Aunt Warburga with Mother a few times as a child. I first thought to wait until after Christmas however the excitement was clear in his last letter to me so I suggest we come over on the twentieth._

 _Malfoy_

We come over, well it looked like he would be spending an afternoon in the company of his childhood nemesis. This should be interesting.

 _Malfoy,_

 _The twentieth will work. 1 o'clock?_

 _Potter_

Potter,

1 o'clock will be fine.

Malfoy

 _Malfoy,_

 _We'll see you then._

 _Potter_


	5. Two important conversations

"Harry you really need to practice calling him Draco," Hermione said as she read over the letters.

Harry looked up at her perplexed, "Why?"

"Ugh Harry really?" she rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Hermione we've always called each other by our last names, he never once addressed any one of us by our first names, and clearly doesn't plan to. That would be too-"

"Friendly," Hermione interjected.

"Odd," Harry replied.

Her eyes rolled skyward again, "For once in your life be a grown up will you?"

"Don't confuse me with your prat of a husband," Harry snapped, "I've been grown up since we were eleven."

Hermione flicked her wand a little too forcefully sending the mop and bucket crashing to the floor. "Oi be brassed off at Ron all you want but leave me out of it!"

"I'm sorry Hermione," he said contritely, "I don't want to put you in the middle of it, and I really can't blame him for being mad at me. He thinks I'm breaking his little sister's heart again."

"And you don't think you are?" she asked.

"You tell me," he retorted, "I'm sure you've seen more of her than me. How does she look to you? Does she look heartbroken? Does she act heartbroken? Does she even act as if she gives the slightest damn that I'm gone?" Harry's voice level rose with each question until he was shouting.

Hermione shook her head, tears in her eyes, "I don't know what you want me to say Harry."

Guilt struck for making her cry, he reached out and took her in his arms, "I don't know Hermione, how about the truth? I need to know if it's worth it for me to even keep trying or if I should just contact the department of magical law or whoever else I need to and file for divorce. I've barely heard a word from her since I moved out unless we need to communicate about the kids. I've tried but I don't even know what to say anymore. I thought maybe some time and space might help but it seems to be making things worse. I just need to know what to do next."

"Oh Harry I don't know," Hermione replied as she pulled away to clean up the mess on the floor.

Harry reached out and took her by the arm, lifted her face to look in her eyes and spoke again, "How is she really?"

A heavy sigh escaped her lips before she answered, "Fine, she seems fine. Honestly she seems happier now than she has in years. Ron thinks it's all an act, a cover for her broken heart as you well know."

Harry reached up to rub his cheek that stung with the memory of the punch that Ron had landed on him no sooner than he'd come through the Floo into Grimmauld Place the day after Harry had moved in, screaming at Harry for hurting Ginny again. They'd fought bitterly that day, no wands, no magic whatsoever, they had simply beaten one another and said unforgivable things. Hermione came through the Floo in time to prevent any bloodshed but not before each was left with many colorful bruises. She had refused to heal either of them, telling them they could just heal like Muggle children, the lousy sodding pair of them. She had grabbed Ron by the arm and shoved him through the Floo.

That had been the last time Harry had seen or spoken to Ron other than at work and even that was a rare occurrence now. The head of the Auror office had been tipped off about their situation and was no longer assigning them to the same cases. He had lost his wife and best mate in one go. And he still wasn't sure how or why it had happened.

"So she's happy. I'm glad. She hasn't been happy in a long time or at least that's what she's told me. I didn't really notice which was obviously part of the problem. I thought I'd broken my habit of having such a one track mind being oblivious to the world around me other than that one thing, but it looks like I failed. She should be happy."

"She may be" Hermione said, "But you're clearly not."

He shook his head, "No, but I'm not sure I ever would be with her again either. I was so determined to work it out just this morning, but I think I've been fooling myself. One more question Mione."

She chewed on her bottom lip a bit before answering, afraid she wasn't going to want to answer what he was going to ask, "Yes?"

"Is she seeing someone?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know."

"Really?"

Hermione shrugged, "I don't know for sure, but yes I think she is or at least there is someone she is spending time with. They may not be actually seeing each other; they might just be friends."

"Then it's time," he said with finality in his voice, "I'll have to see if I can get her to talk to me tomorrow. We can end this quickly. It will be better for the kids than being around our constant fighting. It has to be."

Hermione reached up to cup his face in her hands, "I'll be here for you no matter what. And Ron will come around, when he gets it through his thick skull that his sister really is happy again, he'll be back."

Harry kissed her on the forehead. "Kind of you to say Hermione but we both know he won't and even if he deigns to speak to me again it won't be the same. Nothing will ever be the same, and it's time I accepted that."

* * *

Harry sent his new owl first thing in the morning to Ginny requesting that she allow him to Floo into what was once his home as well as hers so that they could discuss just what to do about their marriage. The answer came even more quickly than he had expected.

He took a deep breath and Flooed into the once familiar living room. It appeared Ginny had done some rearranging and Transfiguration since he'd moved out. His favorite big stuffed chair was gone and in its place was a leather loveseat. He turned to see that all of the family photographs and those of just he and Ginny were gone from the mantle, replaced by photos of the kids and the rest of the Weasley clan. He didn't want to leave this room without being invited to do so, so he wandered around looking at all the things that had changed and the few that hadn't.

He was standing at the window looking out at the garden when he heard Ginny come in behind him. He spoke without turning knowing that seeing her now would do nothing but hurt his heart, "What happened to us Gin?"

"You happened to us," she nearly snarled.

Now he turned, "What do you mean?"

"You really have to ask?" disbelief rang clear in her voice.

"Yes I really do."

"You worked all hours. We never knew when you would be home. When you were home you paid more attention to the kids than to me. You spent more and more nights in London. All we did was fight," she ticked each thing off on a finger as she spoke.

He began to walk across the room and stopped halfway realizing he could no longer go to her as he once would have, "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

She rolled her eyes, "What was I supposed to say? Why didn't you know? Where were those finely honed Auror observational skills when you were at home? Besides would it have even made a difference?"

Harry shook his head, "I don't know if it would have. I'd like to think if you'd told me you were unhappy about my work or that you wanted more time with just me I would have made the effort. I tried not to bring my work home with me. I didn't want to observe you or the kids as I do potential criminals; that's just not right."

Ginny cocked her head to one side, "And would you have given _her_ up?"

Puzzlement filled Harry's face, "Her?"

"Yes her. Whoever she is that you spent all those nights with in London. I assume she's waiting back at Grimmauld Place for you now," she accused.

Harry shook is head wearily, "There is no one at Grimmauld Place other than Kreacher, and there has been no one else in my life other than you since we first became an us. I have nightmares. I told you that on our vacation. You witnessed one. You woke me up when I was thrashing and screaming and I nearly hexed you in my half awake state. I didn't want to risk you or the children so if I had a feeling I'd be having a rough night I stayed in London."

"Nightmares? Really Harry you have to do better than that. The war was almost twenty years ago. There's no reason you'd still be having nightmares two decades later. It's a rather pathetic cover for whoever she is. Or is it a he? Is that why you're trying so hard to cover it up?" she sneered.

Again Harry shook his head. He simply did not know this Ginny. This was not the woman he had married. He wondered when she had changed so much and how he hadn't noticed. Maybe he had put too much time into work and the kids as she said. "Ginny there was never anyone else. I'll take Vertiaserum if you want to prove it to you."

She looked surprised at the offer but waved her hand, "Not necessary, besides I'm sure there was something in your Auror training that made you immune to its effects."

"Ginny that's ridiculous. We routinely take it before appearing in court to assure that we give the most accurate account we can."

"Well that's what you tell everyone anyway. I'm still not buying the nightmare excuse Harry. It just doesn't make any sense."

"Believe me Ginny I know it doesn't make any sense. The nightmares started about two years ago when we finally captured Rowle. Something in his capture and trial stirred up old memories I guess."

"If you're telling the truth why did you never tell me?"

Harry shrugged, "I don't know Gin. It feels like we stopped talking about anything important but the kids years ago."

"You mean you stopped talking."

He sighed, "And did you talk to me? Did you ever tell me about your day at work? Ever tell me how you were feeling about anything? Talk to me at all unless we were in a family conversation or I asked you a direct question? Did you ever just volunteer information to me?"

She rolled her eyes, "Oh yeah right like you ever asked me a question, you weren't even home to talk."

He shook his head and asked quietly, "Gin, when was the last time you felt truly happy with me?"

"Before you started cheating on me," she snapped.

"Ginny be serious. No matter what else you know me better than that. You know who I am. You know I would never cheat on you. You know I would never break my marriage vows. And if you were so convinced I was cheating on you why didn't you Floo to Grimmauld and see for yourself? The Ginny I knew years ago, the Ginny I married would have been there wand ready to hex the shite out of me and whomever I was with."

"Like I wanted to see that," she said halfheartedly, his words breaking her down just a bit.

"See this is what I'm saying. Be honest with yourself if not with me. You haven't been happy for a long time. You love our children but that wasn't your life goal. Playing Quidditch was and you gave it up. It's not too late to go back. The boys are in school. Lily could travel with you, stay with me, stay with any number of your family members. You were an amazing player that quit at the height of your career, any number of teams would hire you. Or find something else to do that you enjoy. You haven't been happy as a stay at home mum or as a journalist even covering your favorite sport. Actually I think that frustrated you more than you enjoyed it, watching and not being able to participate."

She sighed, "My own mum would never forgive me."

"Gin you have to live for yourself and the kids. Not for anyone else. You can't live your life to please Molly. You are not your mother and she knows that. She might be surprised but she loves you and wants you to be happy."

She cocked her head to the side, "Where has this insightful person been the last several years?"

"As you said, I've been wrapped up in my work, in the kids, and probably in myself too."

"Well don't think this means we're staying together because it's too little too late," she insisted.

Harry nodded wondering if that was a hint at her seeing someone, "I'm beginning to wonder if we should never have gotten married at all, maybe we should have just stayed friends."

"And never have our children?" she looked aghast.

"No," he shook his head vehemently, "I wouldn't trade our kids for anything in the world. They are the best thing to come from this and we have to do whatever we can so that they don't suffer because we can't get along anymore. And maybe tell your brother to calm down."

"Like Ron will listen to me," she huffed, "so now what?"

"Now I guess we contact the office of Magical Law and request the dissolution of our marriage. We also need to discuss how we're going to handle the kids but we don't have to decide today. I have the wards set on the Floo to allow them to come through whenever they want, well whenever you allow it. They'll each have a room set up so they can stay with me if they need to or if they want to."

"I don't want them spending the night if your 'friend' is over," she said snidely.

He resisted the urge to proclaim his innocence again but couldn't resist asking, "Ginny are you seeing someone?"

Rage filled her face, "How dare you accuse me of cheating just because you have been. Unlike you I would never-"

"Ginny!," Harry yelled, "I'm not accusing you of anything. I was just asking if you've begun seeing someone since we split up, but as it really is none of my business I'll retract the question. I'll send an owl with my dissolution request to the DML. You can do the same and we'll discuss the kids as we need." He walked to the fireplace, flung the floo powder into the fire, but before stepping into the green flames he turned back to his wife, "Be happy Gin. I'm sorry."

 **A/N I know, I know, no Draco yet but he's coming next chapter I promise. Reviews always appreciated. Thanks :)**


	6. The Malfoys visit

**A/N Thanks to everyone who has followed and favorited, I'll take that as a sign that someone likes this story but please feel free to leave a review as they are always appreciated. So here it is, the chapter where Draco finally makes an appearance, hope you enjoy it!**

The day had arrived. Albus was home. Harry had taken the day off, and the Malfoys would soon arrive. Harry really wasn't sure he was ready for this but he'd do almost anything to make his children happy so he put on a good old Gryffindor brave front and answered the ring at the door.

"Malfoy," he nodded, "and Scorpius, welcome. Come on in."

"Potter," Draco nodded in return.

"Scorp!" Al yelled as he came flying down the stairs.

"Hi Al," Scorp called back.

"Come on I'll show you my room? Hey Dad would it be alright for me to show Scorp the Gryffindor stuff in Uncle Sirius's old room?"

Harry thought for a moment, held up his wand and muttered a cleaning spell just in case, before nodding.

The boys took off up the stairs leaving the former enemies to stand in the entryway trying not to stare at one another. Finally Harry broke the silence, "We can go down to the kitchen or into the drawing room. Kreacher can bring tea."

"Kreacher?"

"My house elf," he hesitated for a moment before grimacing a bit and continuing, "well the elf that came with the house."

Draco raised one eyebrow, "You have a house elf? How did that go over with Granger?"

Harry shook his head and laughed, "She tried desperately to get me to free him, but once she saw him throw himself on the floor in a raging fit at the mere suggestion she finally stopped. I do as much for myself as I can get away with though and that seems to pacify her. Though I do catch her cleaning up his cupboard and putting in fresh blankets and pillows just about every time she comes over. She put an Undetectable Expanding Charm on it a few months ago when he refused to move to one of the bedrooms"

Draco just shook his head and chuckled quietly.

"Come on," Harry gestured to the stairs, "Let's go down to the kitchen. We can play a game of chess while the boys hang out."

"I didn't bring my pieces," Draco replied.

"I hadn't thought of that," Harry said, "I should have asked you to bring them, but I have a Muggle chess set we could use. No real difference except of course you have to move the pieces yourself."

"Fine."

Harry shook his head, it was going to be a long day indeed if this was the type of response he was going to keep getting from Malfoy. Ah well it wasn't like they needed to talk to play chess and drink tea, and if they didn't talk they wouldn't argue over anything or get on each other's nerves. Or at least it was less likely to get on each other's nerves. Merlin knew he'd never been able to play chess with Ron because the way he played made Harry crazy, and he hated Harry's slow methodical moves.

The men settled at the table, set up the chessboard, and began to play while Kreacher served them tea and biscuits before taking some up to the boys. It was three slow games and almost an hour later before another word was spoken, and it was the boys who broke the silence.

"Dad, Dad, Dad!" Albus and Scorpius were both yelling down the stairs, "Come up here, you have to come up here now!" It was hard to tell just who was yelling what?

Harry looked across the board to Draco and raised an eyebrow. Draco shrugged and shook his head.

"Daaaaad!"

"Blimey Dad get up here already!"

Again the two fathers exchanged glances, this time they chuckled and stood up, heading to the stairs.

Harry called up, "We're coming! Where are you?"

"In the drawing room," Al replied.

They had barely made it in the door when Scorpius ran past Harry to grab Draco's arm and began dragging him across the room, talking the whole time, "Dad I'm on the wall in here, you are too. How could we be on the wall when we've never been here before? Well I know you have but I haven't and it makes no sense. Al's not on the wall and neither is his dad and it's his dad's house. You gotta see this."

"Yeah dad what's up with that? How come Scorp and his dad are on the wall and we aren't?" Al questioned.

By this time they had reached the Black Family Tapestry. Scorpius reached out and pointed to his name, "See dad right here and there's you and mom and grandmother and grandfather, but Al isn't anywhere and we looked at the whole thing. Why?"

Harry answered, "This is a tapestry of the Black Family, your grandmother's father and the man that owned this house were brothers. I inherited this house from my godfather Sirius," he paused for a moment as a thought occurred to him. "Actually if I hadn't, this house would probably belong to your dad."

Draco whipped his head around to look at Harry, "Me?" he asked incredulously.

"You are the only living male member of the Black family aren't you, that would have made you the heir according to family tradition and wizarding law." _Probably Muggle laws too_ Harry thought to himself.

Draco thought for a moment, "You're right. Wonder if my father knew about this house. I think he would have challenged the will."

Harry bit his lip and shrugged, "You're father was er um," he glanced over at the boys unsure of what to say since he didn't know what Scorpius knew about Lucius's two sentences to Azkaban, "away at the time."

Draco looked puzzled then understanding dawned as he remembered fifth year when his father and aunt had been part of the group who attempted to capture Harry at the ministry, that that was when his aunt had killed her cousin, Harry's godfather, "Yes I guess he was." Discomfort shown on his face.

The two boys had watched this exchange with impatience, finally they could hold back their questions no longer.

"So why are there all these burned spots?"

"Yeah and what does Toujours Pur mean?"

"And what about En Stirps Nobilis et Gens Antiquissima Black?"

"And why did you have the wardrobe pushed in front of it, I didn't even see this til I hid behind it."

Harry put a hand up, "Ok boys one question at at time, don't make me put a Silencing Charm on you."

Draco snorted, "Yeah right."

Harry turned, "I'll use it on you too Malfoy," he warned.

"Oh Potter I'm so scared," he snarked, then grinned. "Just like old times huh?"

"Wonderful," Harry intoned and shook his head before grinning himself thinking _maybe some things do change_.

"Ok so En Stirps Nobilis et Gens Antiquissima Black means Behold the noble family and oldest clan Black, Toujours Pur means -"

"Always Pure," Draco broke in and grimaced, "Sorry, that was drilled into my head from birth."

Harry nodded, "Maybe you'd better explain then."

Draco began to shake his head but stopped, thinking, and then nodded. "Ok. Always Pure means the Black Family has always been pureblooded, no half bloods, and certainly no Mu-" he shook his head once vehemently, "Muggle borns. Scorp, you know some because we've talked about it at home."

"You mean how some of the old wizarding families believe that only purebloods should be wizards. That they're better than all others. Like my grandparents?"

Draco winced, "Yes, it also means that anytime someone in the family married a half blood, a Muggle born, or heaven forbid a Muggle they were immediately disowned. I'd guess that's what the burn marks are right," he turned to Harry, "those who disgraced the family purity were Incendioed off the tapestry?"

Harry nodded, "Yes. The first time I saw this was before my, uh, our fifth year at Hogwarts. The Order was using this as their headquarters because Sirius wanted to be involved but couldn't leave the house as he was still wanted for murder. So the Order set up shop here where he could still be involved in some way and so they could keep an eye on him."

"Murder," Scorpius's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates.

"Wait!" Draco nearly yelled then quickly lowered his voice when all three turned to look at him wide eyed, "Wait, the Order of the Phoenix used this house as their base? THIS house? Mother of Merlin!" He burst out laughing and nearly bent in two from the force of it.

"Malfoy have you gone batty?" Harry asked.

Draco sniffed, tried to catch his breath and failed, but spoke between laughs, "The Order of the Phoenix... champions of anyone not Pureblood... based in the house of one of the oldest Pureblood families of them all?... A house that's seen more than it's fair share of dark magic?... Oh come on Potter... you have to see it's hysterical."

Harry stood silent for a moment refusing to acknowledge the point but then he couldn't hold it any longer, he guffawed, which sent Draco into gales of laughter once again. They laughed until they were red in the face and tears began to fill their eyes. They laughed until they could barely breathe, meanwhile the boys stood and looked on, exchanging first incredulous looks, then worried looks, sure that their fathers had gone off the deep end.

"I never… never.. thought of it...like that," Harry stammered

"It's no bloody wonder there are curtains over Aunt Walburga's portrait," Draco commented.

Harry nodded, "Oh yeah someone was always running to slam them closed to shut her up. Thank Merlin Hermione finally figured out a way to shut her up for good."

"Leave it to Granger."

"Yeah, she was working on it some when we were here but we were pretty preoccupied so…"

"Here before fifth year?"

Harry hesitated, "Uh no."

"Here...wait a minute," Draco's eyes went wide, "You're not serious?"

"What? Serious about what?" Harry asked.

"Undesirable number 1 and his cronies hid here? This is where you were when the rest of us went back for our seventh year. Weasley never did have spattergoit did he?" Draco accused.

"No," Harry admitted, "that was the ghoul that lives in their house, transfigured to look like him."

"A ghoul huh, no wonder no one could tell the difference." Malfoy's eyes twinkled to let Harry know he was joking.

"Ha, ha Malfoy, very funny," Harry rolled his eyes. "Yes we hid here."

"Here?" This sent Malfoy into another fit of laughter though this time it sounded suspiciously like giggles.

Harry just shook his head and smirked while he waited for Draco to settle down again.

"Dad!" shouted Scorpius, "Are you done now? We want to know more about the tapestry."

Draco cleared his throat, stood up straight, took several deep breaths, wiped his eyes, and then turned to his son, "I'm sorry Scorp, you're right. I should have answered your questions first."

Harry turned away so the others wouldn't see the stunned look on his face. _Malfoy just said his son was right? Well damn, guess he really has changed more than I thought. He's certainly a better father than Lucius. No way Lucius would have ever admitted that he was wrong and Draco was right about something._

"Dad, you really mean that if someone married someone who wasn't a Pureblood they were kicked out of the family and burned off the wall?"

Draco nodded.

"Not just marrying got you burnt off and disowned. Sirius was disowned when he ran away at sixteen, after being sorted into Gryffindor and becoming friends with my dad. He actually ended up living with my dad and his parents. He no longer agreed with the Pureblood philosophy. Sirius's uncle Alphard was burnt off when he gave Sirius money after running away," Harry added.

"But that's not right!" insisted Al.

"Yeah, you don't kick someone out of the family just because they don't agree with you," agreed Scorpius. "Right Dad? I know Grandfather Malfoy, and Grandmother and Grandfather Greengrass aren't happy that I'm in Gryffindor but they still love me."

Draco nodded, "They do. And you're right, it's not right. No one should be disowned for actions. Parents should love their children unconditionally." He sounded as if he spoke from experience.

"Can we fix this tapestry Dad?"

Draco shrugged, "I don't know."

"Hermione has tried a few times, we're not sure it can be done." Harry put in.

"If Granger couldn't do it, you may be right but I'll do some research see if I can find anything out."

"Why?" Harry said before he could stop himself. "Sorry that was-"

Draco held up a hand, "No, you have a reason to be surprised. When you knew me I would have fully supported disowning 'blood traitors' but well the war…"

Harry just nodded.

Draco went on, "I've been doing some research on the Sacred Twenty Eight. I rather think several of the families have done something similar to this," he gestured to the tapestry, "to hide Muggle born, and halfblood members of their family so they could be considered for the list, and so they'd be accepted by Voldemort."

"It wouldn't surprise me a bit," Harry replied, "You know that Voldemort himself was a halfblood right?"

"HE WHAT?!"

"He and the man he thought was his right hand, Severus Snape."

"Severus I knew about but, the Dark… Volde...I don't… I can't…" Draco shook his head, "How did he ever become so popular with the Pureblood crowd?"

"Lying," Harry was only half joking, "Honestly though it's called charisma. It's a common trait among popular dictators in the Muggle world too."

"Really?"

"Yeah, if you're really interested you should research Adolf Hitler, very similar case. Actually Voldemort was raised in a Muggle orphanage, he may have known all about Hitler and World War II himself. I could see him idolizing the man before he found out he was a wizard. Then trying to best the man as he was a wizard and Hitler a mere Muggle."

"Interesting," the blond said.

"Frightening is more like it," Harry replied.

Draco thought for a moment before nodding, "I suppose so."

"So you'll fix it right Dad?" Scorpius asked.

"I'll try son. Like Mr. Potter said his friend Gran- uh Hermione tried and if she couldn't do it, well I'm not sure I can. She was top of our class every year. Maybe there's something in one of the books in the library at home. I'll see what I can find and talk to some of my friends."

"Thanks Dad."

"Yeah, thanks Mr. Malfoy."

The boys turned, ran out into the hall and back up the stairs.

Harry looked at Draco.

"What?"

Harry shook his head, "Nothing really, just thinking how much war changes people."

"You have no idea." Draco replied

 _But it would might be interesting to find out_ , Harry though to himself.


	7. a realization

**A/N: I apologize for the short chapter (though it is at least twice as long now as it was when I first wrote it, thanks to a sudden burst of inspiration) but it just didn't fit well with either 5 or 7. It all stemmed from the adapted quote from my favorite TV show M*A*S*H (btw big points to anyone who can identify the quote and episode) As always enjoy and reviews are greatly appreciated and I'm discovering they certainly help my inspiration levels ;)**

"You should have been here Hermione. You would never have believed it," Harry said.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Believed what?"

"Malfoy," he replied as if the answer should have been obvious.

"Blimey Harry, seriously?"

"What?"

"You're still calling him Malfoy?" She shook her head, "You're hopeless."

"Hey he called me Potter the whole time."

"Good grief, and if he claimed he could charm you to fly without a broom would you volunteer to try it out? Come on what are you ten?"

"Whatever. Besides I was trying to tell you about the visit."

She gestured with one hand to signal him to continue.

"Well first of all he was utterly civil."

Again she shook her head, "What you expected him to come in and be totally rude, yell at you, curse you, hex you, you know you the father of his son's best friend?"

"Hermione," he whined.

"Ok that's it, either get on with what you want to tell me or I'm leaving. I can get whining at home from Hugo and no offense Harry but he's much cuter."

Harry groaned, "Ok fine I'll make it short and sweet. The thing is whereas Draco has a father, Scorpius has a dad."

Hermione's face softened and she smiled, "Aw that's so sweet. People do change. I guess Draco is proof of that."

"At least in that regard, other than that who knows. So you really should bring Rose over next time they come."

She sighed, "Let me know when that will be and, well maybe. That's all I can say."

"I know."

"Now fill me in on every little detail."

Harry laughed and began an animated play by play. Hermione laughed, gasped, and hmmed in all the right places. This was what he had needed. Time with a really good friend.

"Think he really will try to find a way to repair the tapestry?" she asked.

Harry shrugged, "I don't know, but he seemed pretty serious about it and his research."

"Well let me know if he comes up with anything."

"I will."

"Now it's your turn."

"What?" she asked.

"How is Ginny?"

"Harry do you really want to know?"

Harry shrugged, "I do. I don't know why I do, but I do."

"Harry I think you just need to let it go."

"I want to know that my kids are in a happy house when they're not here or at school."

Hermione sighed, "She is seeing someone but she hasn't told anyone who, or brought them around the family yet. I guess she's waiting for the divorce to be final."

"That's good I suppose though it's not like we're suddenly going to change our minds so it really doesn't matter."

"So?"

"So what?"

"When are you going to get out and start seeing people?"

Harry laughed ruefully and shook his head, "Never."

"Harry!"

"Hermione you haven't seen the owls I've been getting since we filed for divorce. There are still so many witches out there that want to date 'the Chosen One' I don't need that. I have to get myself together before I see anyone."

She looked at him, concern shining in her eyes, "What do you mean get yourself together?"

He shrugged, "I just want to be sure there was nothing I did through the years that caused my marriage to fall apart. I don't want to make the same mistakes twice."

"Harry there's no reason to think that you will. It takes two people to make a marriage work, and no matter what Ron or anyone else might say Ginny is at least partially responsible. If she was unhappy she should have said something to you."

Harry shook his head, "Maybe she did and I just wasn't listening."

Hermione took his hand, "I know you better than that. You listen so well, sometimes it's like you listen between the lines. She wasn't being honest with you."

"And if I'm so good at listening between the lines I should have been able to tell she wasn't happy anymore. Of course I would have had to be home for that. I was working way too much and instead of going home late I stayed here."

"So you didn't want to wake her or the kids, that's considerate. And for crying out loud she could have used her mother's tactics and sent you a howler or flooed you here or confronted you at any point but she didn't did she?"

"She thought I was cheating on her."

At this Hermione stood up shaking her head, and began pacing the room, "Well that explains why Ron felt it necessary to punch you and not just yell at you. Though why he'd believe it is beyond me."

Harry looked at her with a nervous glance, "You don't?"

"Harry really? I've known you nearly forever now. You'd never cheat on anyone, it's simply not in your nature. If Ronald had stopped to think for even a moment he would have come to the same conclusion, unfortunately that husband of mine does tend to leap to conclusions and react without thinking first."

"That's been his biggest battle in the Auror department and why he still has to have a partner on missions and not work solo you know."

"I didn't know but I can't say I'm surprised. Nor am I surprised he's never felt the need to tell me that. What does surprise me is that they've let him stay in the department all these years instead of moving him on."

"At first I think it was Kings that kept it from happening. Now it's because in partner work with someone to tame him a bit he really is good at the job, and we know he has a particular hatred of Death Eaters and determination to find the last few that have escaped us."

"It can't hurt that up until now he's been the best mate of the savior of the wizarding world."

Harry blushed and ducked his head, "Mione," he complained.

"Oh know you hate that, but after all this time you should be used to it. Why do you let it bother you still?"

"It's not like I had a choice. What was I going to do let everyone suffer because I was scared. I did what I had to do."

"A lot of people did what they had to do on both sides of the war, that doesn't mean you should deflect anytime someone wants to thank you or recognize you for it. You do realize this summer is the twentieth anniversary and there's bound to be a big celebration at Hogwarts, it's probably already in the planning stages. You're sure to be asked to speak. You may as well start adjusting to the idea now." Hermione turned to see Harry staring off in space, "Harry are you even listening to me? Harry? Harry!"

Harry shook his head, "What? Sorry Mione, what you said just got me thinking."

"What part of what I said? I think you missed at least half of it."

"About people on both sides of the war."

"What about it?"

"Is that what you meant all those years ago?" he asked.

"You want to be more specific please?" she replied.

"After the war, before the trials. You said Mal-"

Hermione glared.

"Draco and I were like two sides of the same coin. We both did what he had to do to save our friends and family. Neither of us was ever really given a choice."

She nodded, "Yes."

"The main difference being he was expected to kill while I was expected to die."

She simply nodded.

It was quiet for a few moments.

"I wonder what else we have in common?"

"Maybe you could start trying to find out the next time he and his son come over."

"Maybe I will."


	8. The Malfoys return

The fireplace flared green while Harry was still in the shower.

"Dad they're here!" Al yelled.

 _Wonderful!_ Harry thought as he rushed to rinse the shampoo out of his hair only to get it in his eyes. He could hear the boys clamboring up the stairs as he dressed. He hurried down the stairs into the kitchen but Malfoy was not there.

"Master Harry," Kreacher said, "Mister Malfoy is in the drawing room, he said he wanted to look at the Black Tapestry. I can bring tea up there"

"Thanks Kreacher. I'll just go get him and we'll come back here."

Harry walked back up the stairs and into the drawing room. Malfoy was standing close to the tapestry and seemed to be muttering to himself as he tapped his wand on some of the burned spots. He watched as Draco shook his head and tried a different wand movement while still muttering, not wanting to interrupt. After what seemed a long time Draco dropped his wand to his side, shook his head, and turned around, starting only slightly when he caught sight of Harry.

"Sorry I wasn't ready when you got here," Harry said, "work was particularly nasty today and I had to do more than a cleansing charm."

Draco raised an eyebrow, "Someone hit you with a particularly nasty hex?"

"More like someone went running through a particularly nasty swamp to get away from us."

"A swamp? Why didn't they just apparate?"

"We'd already gotten his wand. And it took a while to get him away from the trees so we could get off an Incarcerous."

"Interesting," Draco drawled.

"You'd think," Harry said, "but not really."

Draco's left eyebrow made what seemed to be his habitual response to something that surprised him. "Life as an Auror not all you thought it would be?"

Harry just shook his head, "Just a rough day," he lied. "Come on I think Kreacher has tea ready and the chessboard is set aside just like we left it last time. I guess nothing you tried made a difference," he said gesturing back to the tapestry.

"No, not that I really expected it to," Draco replied, "but I had to start somewhere. I suppose I could owl Gran- Hermione and ask her what she's tried so I'm not just covering the same ground."

"I could ask her if you'd like." Harry responded as the two men settled into the kitchen at the chessboard

Draco raised an eyebrow, "Would it be better that way? Do you think she wouldn't accept an owl from me? That would be perfectly understandable considering."

Harry waved his hand, "No it's not that. Actually I told her about you wanting to help repair it so she wouldn't be surprised to hear from you. Just if you owl her do it during the day ok."

"Weasley wouldn't want me writing to his wife huh?"

"Something like that. I can tell you she tried a few spells and something else but I don't remember what. If I think of it I'll tell you."

"Well if you think it will be ok then I'll just write to her and see if she can tell me the spells she tried."

With that the conversation ended and the two men began to play their game in a more comfortable silence than the last time. Occasionally one or the other would look up as if to speak then shake their head and look back at the board.

"Dad your room is a mess," Al called as he and Scorp came into the kitchen to nick a biscuit.

Harry gave an exasperated sigh, "Al what were you doing in my room again?"

"I forgot to show Scorp the picture of Grandad, Uncle Sirius, and Uncle Remus last time."

"You know you need to ask before you go in my room. Just as you need to ask before going in your brother and sister's rooms."

"You know if you'd just cast a cleaning charm every morning you wouldn't have to keep the door closed."

Draco stifled a laugh as Harry turned to his son, "Albus Severus, you know it's not a matter of cleanliness but a matter of privacy."

Al looked down at the floor, "Sorry Dad. I'll check first next time."

Harry reached over and ruffled his son's hair, "That's all I ask."

The boys each took a biscuit and ran off up the stairs.

Harry looked across the table at Draco who was sitting looking quite gobsmacked.

"Malfoy you ok?"

"Severus?" he asked, "You named your son after Sev? You hated him."

Harry shook his head, "I wouldn't say I ever hated him though I did intensely dislike him, but let's be honest he intensely disliked me too. However after all he did for the Order naming my son after him seemed the least I could do."

"The Order? Don't you mean for Voldemort?" Draco corrected.

"Draco, do you really not know after all this time what Snape did?" Harry asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Wait, on your house arrest were you allowed contact with witches and wizards outside?"

"We were but we heard from very few, and Mum cancelled our subscription to the Prophet after the first issue came out with articles on our trials. We had Howlers exploding by the dozens outside the gates. Why?"

"Did you-" Harry broke off.

"Did I what?"

Harry shook his head, "I don't know how to ask this without sounding egotistical so I'll just ask. Did you read the biography of me that was released?"

"And why would I have done that?" There was that classic Malfoy haughtiness.

"You wouldn't I suppose but the story of Severus was in there. I think I could find a copy of that chapter if you want." Harry offered.

"Thanks no," Draco answered, "Just tell me."

So Harry spent the next several minutes explaining all of Snape's memories he had seen in the Pensieve. When he finished Draco just sat again gobsmacked this time by all he had just learned about his late godfather.

"That explains why my father was ready to hex me over wanting to name Scorp Severus instead. He insisted we had to stay with the family tradition of naming after celestial bodies. So I gave him Sev's middle name as his middle name instead: Scorpius Tobias Malfoy. Father was pretty brassed off over that one too but he let it go. He must have known. I can't believe he didn't tell me though."

Harry didn't speak, just sat and watched as Draco continued to process all he had told him. Emotions seemed to flit across his face in a way Harry didn't ever recall seeing them do before.

"Sev was in love with your mother?"

Harry nodded, "Apparently."

"I just can't believe he was a spy the whole time and that he managed to fool everyone."

"Absolutely everyone, even those in the Order had no idea. They were convinced of his betrayal after I told them he had murdered Dumbledore, it had to have been part of their plan."

"How were you there that night? And why?"

"That's another long story," Harry replied.

Draco gestured to the ceiling, "I have a feeling we have plenty of time."

Harry looked up as he heard a thump, "You're right. Okay then get comfortable because if I'm going to tell you the story I may as well tell it all. It starts at the beginning of sixth year and runs through the Battle of Hogwarts."

"You were serious when you said it's a long story."

"Yeah."

"Ok go ahead."

Harry began the tale as Draco sat back in his chair. Several times Draco sat forward and looked as if he were going to interject but each time he sat back again and gestured for Harry to continue. When Harry had finished the two men sat in silence for ten minutes while Draco began to process everything he had just learned.

"Well while I can see why you would name your child after Severus, I fail to see how you could possibly name him after Dumbledore. The man kept you in the dark all that time and basically set you up to be slaughtered for the greater good?"

"It was what it had to be, if I'd known before I found out I might not have been able to do what needed to be done and we'd all be living under Voldemort's rule. It was a sacrifice worth making."

"Still he lied to you for years, led you on. How could you name your child after him?"

"He was one of the greatest strategists in wizarding history and his plans were what saved us all."

"No, you were what saved us all," Draco insisted.

Before the conversation could continue, the men heard the Floo roar to life above their heads and two pairs of feet step out. Draco looked across the table at Harry as the footsteps moved up the stairs.


	9. A surprise visitor

"I let Hermione know when you and Scorp were going to be here. Rose was feeling left out," Harry answered the unspoken question on Draco's face. "I wasn't sure if she was going to make it or not."

"Doesn't she have two children?" Draco inquired.

Harry nodded as they heard a set of feet come back down the stairs, "She may have sent Hugo to Molly."

"Guess again Harry," came the voice from hallway, in stepped a blue haired young man.

"Teddy!" Harry cried as he stood and hugged the newcomer. "It's been donkey's years since you've come mooching."

Teddy blushed, "Well then you'll have Kreacher make my favorite won't you?" he teased.

Harry reached up and ruffled the blue hair, "Of course, but what are you doing here and who did you bring along?"

"Rose. I stopped by Ron and Mione's and she was moping because she couldn't come over here. Hugo was in a fine mood and Mione was looking rather stressed. She said she had work she'd brought home to work on but couldn't get it done. I volunteered to get the kids out of her hair. I took Hugo to play with Lily and brought Rose here. Though the official story is that I took her out for some fun since she was missing out here."

"In other words neither of you was ever here?"

"Exactly," Teddy replied.

"Is there a reason it's a secret?" Draco asked.

Harry turned, "Oh Draco I'm sorry. This is-"

"No need for introductions Harry," Teddy interrupted before going around the table to hug Draco.

Harry dropped into his chair agog as Teddy and Draco began speaking rapidly in French. He watched as while the two men spoke Teddy's hair lost it's blue hue and lightened to a Malfoy worthy platinum.

"Erm, you want to fill me in Teddy? I have a feeling there's something you haven't told me, or anyone in the family that is," Harry remarked.

"Not true," Teddy replied, "Bill and Fleur know, and George and Angelina too."

Harry's eyebrows took a trip into his hairline, "Really Teddy?"

Teddy laughed, "Ok, ok don't get your knickers in a twist. I almost never see you alone so you know why I couldn't tell you, same goes for Mione."

Draco gestured to the chairs around the table, "It seems we all need some filling in of the blanks so why don't we sit."

As the three men took their seats around the table, Harry set the chess board aside, and Kreacher appeared.

"Master Teddy, would you be liking a spot of tea?"

"Absolutely Kreacher, and a chocolate biscuit if you can find one. Thank you."

Kreacher bowed and turned to the kitchen.

Harry spoke, "So who starts the tale telling?"

Teddy and Draco looked at each other and shrugged.

"Ok then. I'll start. Teddy, I assume the reason most of the family doesn't know about you knowing Draco is the fact that my ex-wife and her brother are so unreasonable about anyone that was a Slytherin, sorry Malfoy." Harry blushed.

Draco nodded, "No problem, there's a reason we live in France after all. I imagine that would be the reason no one is to know that Rose is here, correct?"

"Unfortunately yes," Teddy answered. "Ginny and Ron are just ridiculous. That's why I try to only visit Mione and the kids when he's at work and why I come here when Harry has his kids, well at least since the beginning of this school year that is."

Harry turned to Teddy, "So who taught you to speak French? We all assumed it was Fleur and Victoire, were we wrong?"

Teddy ducked his head as a bit of a blush crawled up his cheeks, "Well they did teach me some, but no most of my French has come from spending time with Draco, Tori, and Scorp in France each summer."

"That's where you disappear to for weeks at a time? Not off with your friends on their family vacations? And I assume your grandmother knows and approves?"

Teddy just nodded.

"Ok so how did this start?"

Draco spoke, "It was me. Well actually it was Tori, Astoria. It all started when our parents got together for the traditional presentation of the family trees during our engagement."

"Excuse me?" Harry intoned.

"Oh that's right you wouldn't know. The Weasleys may be a Pureblood family but they are much more reasonable when it comes to their children's marriages." Draco answered, "Families like mine stick to the traditional Pureblood marriage traditions. Parents have to approve of your chosen spouse, if you haven't chosen a spouse by the age of twenty one the parents will choose a suitable partner for you from a quality Pureblood family. I found Astoria just in time to avoid my parents, namely my father choosing my wife. There are several steps to prove that each family and each of the partners is acceptable. One of those is the reading of the family tree, which as you might expect is often an edited family tree."

"And the reading of your edited family tree led you to Teddy?"

"Well sort of. It started when…

 _Draco looked across the table at Astoria who rolled her eyes to the ceiling as her father droned on. He nodded to the door. She smiled and they both quietly slid out of the chairs and out of the room. There really was no reason they needed to be there. Neither of their parents would probably even notice they'd gone. Still they walked as silently as they could down the hall and out the back doors. Draco led the way into the family hedge maze not slowing until they were well inside._

" _There's a bench up this way that is actually fairly comfortable and we can always cast a cushioning charm to soften it more," he said. Astoria just nodded._

 _As they reached the bench Draco pulled out his familiar hawthorn wand, waved it over the bench, then gestured for Tori to sit first, before joining her._

" _All this Pureblood marriage stuff is so boring," Tori complained._

" _And useless," Draco added._

" _Especially this one. What a joke! I know there are at least five relatives Dad already skipped right over. Dad has a sister who married a halfblood, they have three kids. I met them at school and we get together whenever I can manage it. Aunt Miriam is a doll and Uncle Bernard is hysterical. Mum has an uncle who married a Muggle. I only know he exists because I found a picture at my grandparents house one time and dared ask about it. Before they destroyed the photo I got a nice long lecture about disgracing the family. It's all so frustrating. I just don't understand how they can continue to spout that Pureblood is best idiocy after everything that happened."_

 _Draco nodded in agreement, "Father is much more serious about it than Mother but she would never dare to contradict him in front of anyone. She and I had a few conversations while he was serving his time in Azkaban. She told me stories about her sister Andromeda from when they were kids. Andromeda ran away from home and married a Muggle-born so naturally she was disowned. The stories Mum told me though," he paused, "they made me want to get to know her."_

" _So why don't you?" Astoria inquired._

 _He shrugged, "I don't know. I can't imagine she'd want to hear from me. We were on opposite sides of the war. Mum said she lost her husband, daughter, and son-in-law. She's now raising her grandson. Why would she want to speak with a Death-Eater even if he is a relative?"_

 _Tori reached over to take Draco's hand. "You'll never know until you try. Like I said I met my cousins at school but I never really connected with them until after the war. With my parents continuing to insist they had chosen the right side no matter the result I wanted to talk to someone who was more tolerant, someone who would understand where I was coming from so I reached out to them and to my aunt and uncle. It took a bit of time for us to all trust each other and be comfortable together but it was worth it."_

" _I just don't know."_

" _Draco, you'll never know unless you try. Write her a letter and send it with your owl."_

" _She'd probably never read it, she has to know that the eagle owl is a family tradition. She could send it right back."_

 _Astoria sighed, "Fine use my owl. Will you do it? We need all the examples we can get of tolerance if that's how we plan to raise our child."_

 _Draco sat for a few minutes thinking before finally nodding his head._

" _Great let's go get some parchment. I'll write to her as well. And then I'll write to Mimi and Bernie about bringing you over to introduce you. I really want you to meet someone in my family that isn't an insufferable snob."_

" _All right let's go. I have parchment in the drawing room in my wing."_

 _Dear Mrs. Tonks,_

 _My name is Astoria Greengrass. I will soon be marrying your nephew Draco Malfoy. He and I were both raised in families much as I imagine yours was growing up but we want a different life for any children we might have. Please read his letter with this in mind. Thank you._

 _Astoria._

 _Dear Mrs. Tonks,_

 _I suppose I could call you Aunt Andromeda but that doesn't feel right as we've never met. Mother has told me several stories about your time together growing up. She shared with me what she has learned about you since the war. I want to offer my condolences on the loss of your husband and daughter, as well as your son-in-law. I can not begin to imagine what you have been through with their loss. Mother has made it clear that you were raised in a family that truly believed in the philosophy of Toujours Pur. You are I am sure aware that that is how I was raised as well. However I no longer feel this way. I only regret that it took a war to open my eyes to the truth. As Astoria mentioned we want to raise any child we have differently. We want to expose them to friends and family members who are more tolerant. You are the first person I thought of as we had this discussion. Tori encouraged me to reach out to you. You may not ever want to see me or to see anyone who was on the other side of the war. I can understand if you choose not to expose your grandson to someone who carries the Dark Mark, though I do have a few stories I could share with him from the time when his father was my DADA professor. Please give this some thought and I will respect any decision you come to. Should you decide that you are willing to see me we could meet in a public place if that makes you more comfortable. I know of one or two nice tea shops both in the wizard world and in the muggle world._

 _Your nephew,_

 _Draco_


	10. More surprises

Draco who had been leaning forward in his chair as he spoke sat back now silent. Harry stared at him waiting for the other man to continue but he said nothing more.

"And?" Harry finally prompted, "I mean it's obvious that at some point 'Dromeda met with you but how long did that take and how is it no one ever knew? Do your parents know?"

Teddy grinned, "Oh Aunt Cissy knows."

Harry gaped, "Aunt Cissy?!"

The two blonds laughed.

"Cissy? Really? Your mother lets someone call her Cissy?"

"Family only," Draco warned.

"Like I'd ever dare to call her anything other than Mrs. Malfoy."

Draco tilted his head and replied, "Actually she'd like to meet with you sometime and I'm sure she'd insist on you calling her Narcissa at the least.

Harry shook his head hard, "That might just be too odd. But we're getting off track. Tell me about meeting Andromeda the first time."

"If you insist."

" _Master Draco," the house elf called from his doorway, "Miss Astoria is here."_

" _Why is Tori here?"_

 _Astoria breezed past the elf and into Draco's sitting room to find him sprawled on the couch in front of the fire in his pyjamas. "Your mother owled and asked me to be here first thing this morning. She didn't say anything to you?"_

" _No, I haven't seen her yet today-"_

" _And your father was with us all afternoon and evening yesterday so there was no chance for me to talk to you." Narcissa said as she strolled in, "Hurry up Draco darling get up and get dressed. Your father is supposed to be gone all day but I'd hate for us to not be home when he returns."_

" _Where are we going?" Draco asked as he stood and moved to his walk-in closet._

" _Get dressed and you shall see darling," she waved him away, "Astoria and I will talk about the wedding while you get ready but please dear don't take an hour as you normally do, we are in a bit of a rush."_

 _Astoria giggled as Draco's cheeks flamed and he ducked into his closet._

 _When he returned twenty minutes later his mother nodded her approval. "Alright dears out to the border please." She stood and led the way._

 _Draco and Astoria exchanged questioning glances before following her outside to the edge of the estate. They stood facing her, she turned and stepped between them taking each by an arm, "Shall we?"_

 _Again they exchanged glances before this time simply nodding in reply._

 _Narcissa began to turn on the spot and all three felt the familiar twinges in the middle of apparition._

 _They appeared in front of a cottage in the country._

" _Mother where are we?"_

 _Narcissa began walking to the door without answering._

" _Mother?" Draco spoke again._

" _Mrs. Malfoy?" Astoria began._

 _Narcissa turned for a moment before knocking on the door, "I've brought you to meet my sister."_

" _Your sis-" Draco's voice trailed off as the door opened and a woman answered. She could have been his dead aunt's twin._

"I thought the same thing the first time I saw Dromeda. It was rather frightening since I had just escaped Voldemort at the time."

"Yes well, I'm sure you realized as quickly as I did they were nothing alike."

Harry simply nodded.

" _Cissy," the woman took Narcissa in her arms, "It's been too long love."_

 _For what seemed the millionth time that day Astoria and Draco looked at each other eyes filled with questions._

" _Andi, I have missed you." Narcissa turned again, the two women each keeping one arm around the other, "Draco darling and Astoria dear, this is my sister Andromeda. Andi, my favorite sister, this is my son and his intended. The pair that sent you the letters you passed on to me."_

 _Draco's jaw dropped, "You, the letters, you, how? Mother I don't…"_

 _As Astoria giggled Narcissa again waved her hand in the air, "You don't truly think I'd disown my favorite sister do you? Draco really have you never paid attention to me at all or only to your father? I would have thought the way you behaved at times you'd learned some of your skill in sneaking and secrecy from me but perhaps it was only to hide things from him," she finished with a sneer._

 _Astoria stepped forward as Draco continued to stare at his mother trying to find any words at all to utter, "Mrs. Tonks, it's so nice to meet you."_

" _Oh Astoria dear please call me Andromeda, or Andi if you prefer," Andromeda said as she took Astoria's hand in her own._

" _Alright Andi, then please call me Tori."_

 _Andromeda nodded and turned to her nephew, "Draco?"_

" _Yes ma'am."_

 _Andy laughed, "Oh really, you musn't call me ma'am that makes me feel older than Merlin himself."_

" _Yes ma, uh, yes Aunt Andromeda."_

 _The three women laughed as Draco again shaded dark red._

" _Come," Andi gestured to the house, "I have tea and biscuits waiting for us. I imagine you'll be wanting an explanation from your mother and me."_

 _She turned and led the way into the house, through the living room and into the kitchen. Narcissa followed seeming to be right at home while Draco and Astoria walked more slowly trying to take everything in. They reached the table and all sat down, Andromeda waved her wand to summon the tea tray then set about pouring cups for everyone._

 _Narcissa reached over and took Draco's hand, "Darling you have no idea how proud of you I am. When Andi sent me the letters the two of you had sent to her I couldn't have been happier. You have to understand that in front of your father I will continue to nod and silently agree with what he says I don't mean a word of it. I'm not so sure how much of it even he truly believes at this point or if he just blusters about to hear himself talk."_

 _Draco shook his head, "I don't understand Mother. If you don't agree with him. If you feel so differently. If you have to sneak around and hide to have a relationship with your own sister why do you stay married to him?"_

" _I can't simply leave your father. After Andi ran away to marry Ted on practically the eve of her wedding to Yaxley-"_

 _Andromeda shuddered, "Arranged by our parents that was. I would rather have died than marry that man. I would rather have died than to never marry my Ted."_

 _Narcissa now turned and took her sister's hand, "You were the lucky one."_

" _Yes, and I'm sorry for that."_

" _Ah," said Narcissa with half a laugh, "But not truly."_

 _Andi nodded, "Well I'm not sorry I was lucky but I am sorry that you ended up tied for life to that man."_

" _Tied for life?" Astoria asked._

 _Narcissa nodded, "Yes Tori dear. You see the Malfoy family was worried about the arrangement they'd already made for Lucius to marry me after Andi ran off. So my parents offered me up as not only bride by lifemate. We had a wedding for all to see, and and life bonding ceremony for our families and a few other chosen Pureblood families. I didn't have someone else waiting for me like she did, and I wasn't nearly as brave so I went through with it. fortunately for me most of the time Lucius is totally self-involved and I've been able to do things that make me happy such as staying in contact with Andi."_

" _How exactly did you manage that Mother? You couldn't possibly have used one of the owls, Father would have noticed that."_

" _Yes unfortunately your father kept very close watch on the owls as did your grandparents. However there are other ways that they would never notice, would never even think of: house elves," unbelievably Narcissa grinned._

 _Draco's jaw dropped, "House elves?"_

 _Tori giggled, "That's bloody brilliant!"_

" _Thank you but in honesty it was the desperation of a young girl trying to contact her sister. I didn't care what my parents said I wasn't going to forget Andi, she'd always looked out for me and really been more of a mom to me than my own mother even if she was only two years older. With her gone it seemed as if no one cared. Bella had always tormented both of us. I was complaining to myself one day and Dobby overheard me."_

" _Dobby?!"_

" _Yes Draco, Dobby was my elf that I brought with me when I married your father. If it weren't for your going on and on about Harry Potter and your father plotting to cause trouble at Hogwarts I would never have lost him. Of course the only reason he wanted freedom to begin with was because your father was so positively awful to him. My parents weren't wonderful to our house elves but more than anything they just ignored them. Bellatrix, I'm sure comes as no surprise, was positively cruel to her elf Tilly, but Andi had taught me that treating your elf more kindly led them to obeying your commands more truly. Bippy cried with me in my room the day Andi left then again the next day when my parents announced that she was no longer part of our family. It was Dobby who came to the rescue. He said he could take a letter to 'Mistress Andromeda' for me. At first I was so scared my parents would see and disown me too that I refused but I watched them and finally noticed just how much they didn't pay attention to the elves. I sent Dobby with a letter, and Andi sent one back. It wasn't until after I married Lucius and he was off for a few days on family business that I was finally able to see her again but we've never been long out of touch. When Dobby was freed I asked my parents for Bippy to replace him though I never thought they'd agree."_

 _Draco shook his head, "How is it I never knew? Why didn't you ever bring me here?"_

" _Oh darling, at first it was simply because you were too young to apparate and I couldn't possibly Floo here. Then you got to the age where you couldn't keep a secret, just as all children of a certain age, and then you were so set on impressing your father and being like him I didn't dare tell you."_

 _Andromeda spoke, "It wasn't that she didn't want to, she brought pictures for me to see often. She worried about you but you know Lucius and what he would have done if he'd found out."_

" _It simply wouldn't have been safe until you'd learned Occlumency and by the time you did that I could barely even get Bippy here, and all of our message had to be short and verbal so that she could remember them. As it was I had to give her very strict instructions to only come to me if I was completely alone with no one even in any adjoining rooms."_

 _Draco sat back shaking his head trying to take it all in. He looked bewildered. "All those conversations we had while Fa- while Lucius was in Azkaban and you couldn't tell me then. You told me about Aunt Andromeda but all of the stories were from when your childhood. You couldn't trust me then?"_

" _I was waiting for you to ask me how I could have gone along with the family disowning her. I never imagined you'd contact her directly. If I had had any idea that was how you and Astoria felt I would have brought you here long before now."_

 _Draco stood, "I need.. I need some air." The three women watched him walk out the back door._

 _In the garden Draco spotted a blue-haired head moving rapidly back and forth between bushes. Suddenly a small gold flash flew over the bushes followed by the blue head. Almost without thinking Draco reached out and snatched the gold thing in his hand. He looked over to see a practice snitch fluttering its wings._

" _Wow, you're as fast as Harry," remarked what he could now see was a small boy under that blue hair. "You're Draco right? Aunt Cissy's son?"_

 _Draco nodded while wondering just how many more times today he would be shocked into silence._

 _The boy dismounted from his child size broom and walked over to stand in front of Draco, "I'm Teddy. We're cousins."_

 _Again Draco nodded, looked at the practice snitch in his hand, looked again at Teddy, and finally crouched down to look the boy in the eyes, "Nice to meet you Teddy. I don't think I've ever had a cousin with blue hair before."_

" _Really?" Teddy asked. "Watch this!" The boy scrunched up his face, turning a bit red in the cheeks, and Draco watched his hair fade from blue and become a bright orange instead._

 _Draco laughed, "Wow, that's pretty cool, think you could do red that's my favorite color?"_

 _Teddy nodded excitedly and scrunched up his face again and sure enough the orange transitioned to a bright apple red._

 _Draco reached out and ruffled the flaming hair, "I know full grown wizards who can't change their hair that well with Transfiguration."_

" _Really?" Teddy's eyes grew huge. "Grandma says I'm a meta- metamor- metapmorpha ugh!"_

" _A metamorpha-"_

" _I can say it!" Teddy stomped his foot, and Draco bit his lip to keep from laughing._

" _I'm sure you can."_

" _A meta-mor-pha-gus!" he said triumphantly, "Just like my mom was."_

 _Draco sat down on the ground in front of Teddy, "I never knew your mom, but I did know your dad."_

 _Teddy moved to sit next to Draco, "You did?"_

" _Yes. Your dad was my teacher one year at Hogwarts. He taught us Defense Against the Dark Arts. He was one of the best teachers we had in that class my whole seven years at Hogwarts."_

" _Grandma said he was a really good wizard. She said he was really smart and he and mom were really brave and went to fight the bad wizards, that's how they died, but she said because they fought that lots of other people are alive and safe now."_

 _Draco didn't respond, couldn't respond. His head dropped to his chest, as guilty tears began to pour down his face. A little hand reached out and patted his back. "Are you ok Draco?"_

 _Draco didn't answer, couldn't answer. What could he say to this little child? He was one of the bad guys. He'd done awful things. He'd nearly killed three people, and hurt how many others. He didn't even deserve to be sitting here with this sweet young boy._

 _Teddy stood and hugged Draco, "It's okay. Grandma said you and Aunt Cissy were on the wrong side for a while but that you changed your minds. Harry says you saved him, and then Aunt Cissy saved him, and so Harry was able to save everyone. So that means you and Cissy saved everyone too."_

 _Draco laughed ruefully but hope dawned in his chest at the words of his cousin. He lifted his head to look Teddy in the eye, "Thanks Teddy bear," he said then pulled the young child whose hair was now nearly white blond into his arms._


	11. Three proposals

**A/N wow what started out as a chapter I just couldn't get written ended up being one of the longest I've written yet, hope you enjoy**

"That's pretty much how it started," Teddy said. "Draco, Tori, and Aunt Cissy came to visit whenever they could."

"Then once Tori and I knew she was expecting we moved to France. As soon as Scorpius was born Mum came to visit at least once a week, Lucius on the other hand came once a month if we were unlucky. So Andi and Mum used that to their advantage, and began meeting at our house."

Harry turned to his godson, "So you've been speaking French a lot longer than you've let on with the rest of us huh?"

Teddy ducked his head blushing.

"And it's come in quite handy for him too," Draco remarked.

"Oh?" Harry queried, "You mean beyond courting Victoire?"

Draco exchanged a glance with Teddy, "You haven't told anyone?:

"Told anyone what exactly?"

Teddy grimaced slightly before replying, "I'm doing a double apprenticeship in Healing. I've done one here at Mungo's in general healing and then another six months in mind healing, and I'll be doing another general healing in France with Draco and his partner starting after Christmas."

Harry's jaw dropped as he turned to stare at the blond man who ducked his head, "You're a healer?"

"Sort of, not really. I do some healing but mostly potion work, it was always my strength."

Teddy spoke up, "He's being modest. He's a great healer and amazing with healing potions."

Harry shook his head in wonder, "And here the wizarding world assumed you were just lazing about on your family money."

"I was for a long time. It wasn't like I was going to find a job here in England; it was hard enough to walk down the street. Astoria and I decided to move to France when she became pregnant. Neither of us wanted our son to grow up in this environment considering how we ourselves were treated. We gave serious consideration to sending Scorp to Beauxbatons but he wanted to come to Hogwarts after hearing our stories and Teddy's and though we were concerned about how we would be received no matter what house he ended up in we couldn't refuse his request to continue the family tradition."

"Ok now you know I have to ask," Harry said.

"Ask what?"

"Really?" it was Harry's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"Oh Gryffindor."

"Yes."

"We were both a bit sad that he wouldn't be in Slytherin as we were. However, we were also quite relieved as it seemed that that would be the house he would have the most trouble in. There are still plenty of families who feel as my father always did about Purebloods. There are the children of several Death Eaters who my father named not once but twice. The first time to escape Azkaban the second to shorten his sentence. It just wasn't going to be a good place for him. Then of course Vic is in Gryffindor and could keep an eye on him, watch over him, help him if he needed it. Then again it turned out he didn't need that as your son and young Miss Weasley seemed to strike up a friendship with him on the train right quick. Much like you, Weasley, and Granger as I recall."

"Well honestly Ron and I struck up a friendship then but it wasn't until Halloween that Hermione made our duet into a trio."

"Halloween?"

Teddy laughed, "He doesn't know about the troll in the loo?"

"Troll in the loo, I thought it was in the dungeon?"

"Yes well it came up the stairs, Ron and I locked it in the girls lav with Hermione."

Draco's eyes grew to the size of saucers, "And she became friends with you after that?"

Harry laughed and shared the rest of the tale to explain.

Draco shook his head in disbelief, "Must have been nice to be you and get away with crazy things like that."

"Oh I'm sure you got away with plenty, especially with Snape."

"You'd think so, he might have made it seem that way in front of others, even in front of the other Slytherins but I got called on the carpet in his office plenty of times."

"Interesting."

"Yeah as if I didn't get it bad enough from Lucius for my grades or anything he was aware of, at least Sev kept most of my idiocy to himself or my breaks could have been a hell of a lot worse."

No one said anything after that for a bit, each thinking about their own parents or guardians and tricks they'd pulled and gotten away with.

"So," Harry spoke again, "How did you become a healer?"

"I'm not officially a healer." Draco insisted.

"Then what officially are you?"

"Officially I'm nothing."

Harry cocked an eyebrow, "And yet you work with a healer? Are regulations that different in France?"

"Things are a bit different. They do have a large hospital like Mungo's in Paris but in smaller towns like we live in people often prefer to go to a local healer one that has known them all their life and can treat most anything, they're often also a potions master and have an apothecary right there in their office."

"Country doctor," Harry muttered.

"What?"

"Sorry," Harry replied. "Muggles in small towns often have physicians that fit the same description, they call them country doctors."

"Oh, I guess there are probably more similarities between the Muggle world and the wizarding world than I know," Draco remarked.

"I would imagine so."

"Anyway Robert is an old friend of Mother's. She had apparently spoken to him about my potions abilities. He firecalled me in a near panic one day, he had a patient he needed to be treating and another that needed a potion he didn't keep pre-made. He asked me if I would come make it. I did and then spent some time watching him work with other patients as they came in. I was intrigued by the spells, the ability to make people better rather than to hurt them. He began to teach me. I do most of the potion making for him and occasionally some of the scanning and healing. I'm not official because though I've taken the N.E.W.T.S. and have qualifying scores I've never completed any of the apprenticeship paperwork for either France or England. Robert has offered to do it for me more than once. I might give in and let him do it before he retires but for now I'm okay just helping out. Teddy here began tagging along with me when he was visiting in the summer."

"It wasn't long before I was hooked and knew that healing was what I wanted to do after I finished school."

"And you're doing an apprenticeship here and in France?"

Teddy blushed, "Well Victoire has talked about wanting to live near her grandparents for at least a few years after finishing school. She's spent so much more time with the Weasleys than the Delacours."

"And you want to be with her," Harry said, "So when are you planning to propose?"

"Easter break," Teddy slammed a hand over his mouth.

Draco and Harry looked across the table at one another and laughed.

"Keeping that a secret were you?" Draco winked at his cousin.

Teddy nodded, "Please don't say anything to anyone."

"You know I won't," Harry replied, "But you may have to watch out for him, he might want something in return for keeping your secret." He raised an eyebrow and grinned.

Draco ran a hand over his chin, "Hmm that sounds like a good idea, thanks Potter."

"I'll cook dinner for a week."

"Hmm."

"I'll take care of the garden for a month."

"..."

"I'll hunt up any potions ingredients you need for the entire apprenticeship."

Draco laughed, "You're going to be doing that anyway kid. Come on now you think I'd really tell?"

"Not even Tori?"

"Not even."

"Good."

Harry laughed then looked at his godson, "Do you have a ring?"

"Actually Grandma gave me my mom's engagement ring a while ago when she saw how serious Vic and I were getting. And last time we visited Fleur's parents her grandfather pulled me aside and said he had his mother's wedding band."

"You're well and truly covered then."

"Yeah."

Draco patted him on the shoulder, "Good luck. Have you thought about how you're going to propose?"

"Yes and no."

"Well that was clear as mud," Harry snorted.

"I've thought about it but haven't made any decisions. How did you each propose?"

Draco shook his head, "I'm really not a good example to follow there. I told Potter already I was cutting it incredibly close to my father arranging a marriage for me when I came across Tori. We were out one evening at the Leaky each complaining about the possibilities as her father wasn't waiting for her to turn twenty one, he was trying to find her a husband then. So I think I said to her 'wanna get them both off our backs?'"

"Smooth," Teddy intoned sarcastically.

"Yeah real romantic," Harry added.

Draco shrugged, "We weren't really worried about romance at the time. Besides she said yes and that was what mattered. So how bout you Potter? How did you propose to the Weaslette?"

"Weaslette?" Teddy bit his lip.

Harry just rolled his eyes, "Malfoy here can't resist calling people by endearing nicknames, you haven't caught on to that yet."

"Never gave you one though did I?"

"Ah but you always said Potter with such feeling I felt that you had."

"Hmm then I suppose I should have felt the same way considering all the feeling you put into Malfoy."

Teddy held up a hand, "Oh stop with the lovefest already, you two are making me sick. Come on Harry how did you propose to Gin?"

"You really don't want to hear that story do you?"

"Harry would I ask if I didn't?"

"Well this is you after all, you might ask just to be annoying?"

"Thanks a lot Har."

"Whether or not he wants to hear I'm intrigued now, so do share will you Potter."

"Alright fine. We'd begun dating again the summer after the war. We wrote often when she went back to Hogwarts for her seventh year. I met her in Hogsmeade whenever I could. Then the weekend of her graduation I went in and stayed. We were sitting by under a tree by the lake…"

 _"Has your family arrived yet?"_

 _"No thank goodness," Ginny replied._

 _"What's wrong?"_

 _"It's Mum," she sighed as she leaned back against Harry's chest._

 _Harry wrapped his arms around her and asked, "What now?"_

 _"Same thing as always."_

 _"Getting married and having kids?"_

 _"Yeah. It was so nice of Ron to propose to Hermione at Christmas and put the pressure on us."_

 _"Why is it she's on us when Percy and Charlie are still unmarried and much older?"_

 _"Percy isn't seeing anyone he's still so focused on his career and so it's harder for her to put the pressure on but she's still trying. Honestly I'm not sure Charlie will ever marry, he's too dedicated to his dragons. And she's leaving George completely alone since he just started seeing Angelina, she's just happy he's back in the world."_

 _"So we're going to be hearing about it all weekend right?"_

 _"I'm sure. Merlin forbid we concentrate on my finishing school and my upcoming tryout for the Harpies. No, we have to answer questions about how long until we get married and settle down already."_

 _"When do you want to get married?"_

 _"I don't know not for a year at least. I want to make the team and put in at least a season before then."_

 _Harry thought for a moment, "Would us just being engaged settle Molly for a while?"_

 _Ginny nodded, "For a bit I suppose, but there's no telling for how long."_

 _"So let's get engaged."_

 _Ginny sat forward and turned to face Harry, "Are you proposing?"_

 _"Er, um, yeah I guess. Sorry I guess that wasn't very romantic. I do want to marry you I just didn't want to rush you."_

 _She laughed, "No this is better, it's so you, and for that matter it's so me."_

 _"Um so is that a yes?"_

 _"Yes," she leaned in and kissed him._

"That was it?" Teddy exclaimed, "You two are no help whatsoever!"

Both men laughed and Draco drawled, "Yeah really romantic Potter."

"Hey in my defense I proposed again, with a little, well actually a LOT of help."

"Really?" Teddy's voice rose hopeful, "Tell us about that one."

 _Ginny curled up on the sofa next to Harry with a pile of small parchment letters in her hand._

 _"My brothers are positively hysterical, some of these ideas are so totally ridiculous: 'propose to her in fireworks' I'm putting that one aside we have to do that, 'bring her a dozen of every kind of flower you can find', no I don't think so, 'she loved Arnold her pygmy puff you should get her a new one and put the proposal on it somehow' cute and I would like a new puff or maybe two so one wouldn't be lonely like Arnold was, 'be sure to ask Mum and Dad for permission to marry, and make a big deal out of it' oh absolutely." She shuffled through the parchments a bit more, "here's one with merit 'take her to a Quidditch game and have the proposal announced during the game, or better yet propose to her at her first Harpies game'" She stopped to take a breath and Harry spoke up._

 _"Your brothers aren't the only ones, have you seen the notes from Hermione, Fleur, and Luna?"_

 _"Luna? Oh that one should be worth a read," she said as she ruffled through the parchments, "Ah here it is 'be sure to clear your head of wrackspurts and see if someone can clear Ginny's. I could do it if you'd like. You might want to spend some time with the gernumblis for luck but don't start the day with pumpkin juice and tarts as that is bad luck.' Oh I really do love her."_

 _"Then there's Ron's begging me to please keep it low key. Please don't make it better than his proposal to Hermione since he tried so hard to make it perfect and he doesn't want her to think he didn't do enough."_

 _She shook her head, "He's absolutely pitiful. He could have proposed to her like you did to me and she would have jumped all over him saying yes. Besides he really did do a nice job of it. Tell the truth you helped him right?"_

 _"Just a little."_

 _She laughed, "I knew it! I knew he couldn't have arranged anything in the Muggle world without your help."_

"Wait," Teddy broke in, "Now you have to tell me about Ron's proposal to Mione."

"Well if you want to hear my story too I'll have to make that one short or we'll run out of time before dinner."

"Oh Potter I think you should tell it all and entertain us through supper," drawled Draco.

The clattering footsteps of three rowdy children were heard on the stairs.

"Kreacher came to tell us it was time to eat," Al said as they all sat at the table.

Harry shook his head, "Well then let's eat."

"No way Harry, you're not getting out of telling the story," Teddy complained.

"Really Potter, Teddy here needs all the help he can get in the romance department let's not disappoint the boy."

Harry grimaced momentarily, "You already did so I guess it is up to me huh?"

"Low Potter, just low."

Harry grinned.

"Uncle Harry what are you guys talking about?" Rose asked as she hugged her uncle then went to sit next to Teddy at the table.

As soon as they all sat down the table was filled with fish and chips. Everyone began filling their plates, everyone but Harry who instead sat back and spoke, "Teddy asked me how I proposed to your aunt, and then how your dad proposed to your mom."

"Oo are you going to tell us? I want to hear that." Rose's eyes shone bright.

"Alright fine but you all better save me some food."

Kreacher popped up next to Harry, "No worries Master Harry I have a plate for you in the kitchen."

"Thank you Kreacher."

"So Ron wanted to do something Hermione would really enjoy. He remembered her talking about Christmases with her family when they drove around London looking at the lights. I guess she'd mentioned in passing that she'd seen people making the same trip in a horse drawn carriage, and according to Ron every time she said that she would sigh. So that's what he did, well first he came asking for my help arranging the ride in the carriage because no matter how interested he is in Muggle things he's never managed to master the use of the telephone, and forget about using the Internet. I took him to a Muggle library and helped him look up the information. We went to Gringotts to exchange for Muggle money, and then he went and booked the ride. It was snowing just a bit that evening, they rode around looking at all the Christmas lights, and when they were almost back to the stable he proposed."

"Ahhhh," Rose sighed.

"Ugh," groaned Albus and Scorpius together.

"He did good," Teddy said.

"I'm honestly impressed," remarked Draco.

"Now you're story," Teddy insisted.

"Ok, ok," Harry said and leaned forward to begin.

 **A/N you didn't really think I was going to put the whole thing in one chapter did you? ;)**


	12. The big proposal

A/N Big thanks to my "niece" HippogriffRider77 for all her help with this chapter and the previous, her momma has been my regular fiction writing buddy since high school and niecey is an amazing writer herself of both fiction and fanfiction. She's been my FF sounding board and mentor (gotta love how HP brings the generations together huh?) You should absolutely go check out her stories.

The morning of Harry's birthday dawned. Everyone would be at the Burrow later for a big family dinner however he was going over in just a few minutes to talk to Molly and Arthur. As he stood in his best dress robes staring at his reflection in the mirror he began to wonder why in the world he was nervous. He and Ginny getting married was precisely what Molly wanted, she and Arthur were sure to say yes to his request, Ginny had already said yes so why was his stomach turning over and over. Finally he took a deep breath and went to pick up his gifts for his future in-laws then headed to the Floo.

He stepped out to find Arthur waiting for him.

"Hello Harry, Molly's waiting in the sitting room why don't we go in?"

"Just a moment, this is for you Arthur," Harry said as he held out a small box.

"What is this?"

Harry shrugged, "Just some things I thought you might like."

"Muggle things?" Arthur whispered, not wanting to be overheard by his wife.

"Yes."

As quickly and quietly as possible he opened the box and began pulling things out, as he looked at each item Harry told him what they were.

"That's a ballpoint pen, it's like a quill and ink but the ink is stored inside the pen and you can just keep writing until it runs out, though that takes quite a while. That's a torch, if you flip the switch there on the side a light will come on, it's just like using Lumos. That's a rubber duck, it's a bath toy, that one glows in the dark."

"Glows in the dark? I thought you said it was a Muggle toy."

Harry laughed, "It is. It's made with a chemical that, well it sort of collects the light and then in the dark it glows."

"Harry and Arthur, what are you two up to?" Molly called."

Arthur quickly tucked the items back into the box and put the box in his robes, "Nothing dear just having a bit of a chat."

"Well come in here will you?"

"Yes dear," he gestured to the door.

Harry walked into the sitting room straight over to Molly who was sitting on the sofa, he held out the bouquet of flowers he'd brought for her, "These are for you."

"Oh Harry dear, you didn't have to do that. It's your birthday you should be getting the presents." She stood and hugged him, "Please sit. Now what was it you wanted to talk to us about?"

Harry took a deep breath, "I would like to ask Ginny to marry me but I wanted to ask your permission first."

Molly began to cry, "Oh Harry you don't need to ask us, you know we'd love for you to be part of our family."

"We'd be thrilled to be able to call you our son," Arthur added wiping his own eyes.

"I'd like your help to do it," Harry added.

"Anything we can do," Molly replied.

"Well tonight…" Harry told them his plans, Molly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her eyes as she sniffed and smiled. Arthur nodded his head and made a suggestion or two himself.

Finally Harry stood and accepted hugs from the two people closest to parents in his life who he would soon be able to call his parents, at least by marriage. "Now I just need to run and see George at the shop and arrange a delivery. I'll be back this evening for dinner."

Back at home collecting all of the things he needed for the evening Harry was once again overcome with nerves. He laughed and scolded himself that this was ridiculous. Reminding himself once again that Ginny had already said yes, now Arthur and Molly had said yes, and considering all the help her brothers had given him planning the evening they all certainly approved. Charlie was even coming in from Romania for the evening so he could be there. Hermione was thrilled because now they would be brother and sister as they'd felt like they were for so long. Taking a deep breath he Floo'ed back to the Burrow.

Dinner was a rowdy affair in the garden as there was simply not enough room in the house for them all, besides it was becoming a tradition for Harry's birthday dinner to be in the garden. After cake came presents including a package to Ginny from Harry. This was not something they had discussed as part of the proposal so she looked at him in surprise.

"It's your birthday, why are you giving me a gift?"

"Open it and find out."

A bit wary she tore off the paper and opened the box to find two brand new broomsticks, the latest model in the Firebolt line. "Matching broomsticks?" she raised an eyebrow.

He nodded, "Shall we try them out?"

"Sure, who's up for a game of Quidditch?" she addressed the assembled crowd.

There was nods of assent and a few firm nos from Hermione who still was not comfortable on a broom, and Fleur who felt the same. They argued about how to split up the sides Harry as Seeker for one and Ginny for the other though she argued it should be Charlie. He insisted he simply wasn't fast enough any more. Finally it was decided Angelina, Harry, Charlie, and Percy who wasn't great but they needed another body on a broom, would play Ginny, Charlie, Ron, and Arthur who wanted to play over the objections of Molly who was sure he would fall off and break something to which he simply replied "But dear that's what healing potions like Skele-Gro are for."

The game alternated between good old fun and crazy competition. Finally Molly called up to the flyers, "It's getting rather dark dears, time to call this game."

Harry flew over to Ginny, "How about we do a quick Seeker's game? Catch the Snitch and meet on the ground?"

She looked at him for just a moment before nodding. He reached into a pocket and let loose a Snitch, they counted to ten together before beginning their search. They circled trees, flew high and low keeping their eyes peeled. Harry knew the moment she spotted it and he took off following her just a hair slower than he could go, just enough to ensure that she touched it first.

She reached out her hand, with Harry coming up right behind her, she closed her fist around the Snitch just as he got to her wrist. She looked over her shoulder and complained, "You could have had that! You let me catch it!"

"Just land," he said and pointed to the ground where she could see her family standing in a circle. She landed in the center and looked around to see each person holding a pygmy puff of varying shades of pink and purple. She laughed and turned to Harry as he landed beside her. He took the broom from her hand and laid it with his own on the ground, then whispered "Look up."

In the sky about them a wide variety of the famous Weasley's Wildfire Whiz-bangs, ending with a message written out in the sky.

Ginevra Molly Weasley, you are my heart, my soul, my love. You have been the best

friend and most patient partner a man could ever ask for. I ask you now to please be my

partner for now and always, will you consent to enter with me into the bonds of

everlasting matrimony.

Harry turned to face Ginny, knelt down on one knee, took her hand in his making sure that both their hands touched the snitch, when his thumb brushed the gold sphere it opened revealing a ring. Tears began to form in her eyes.

"Gin, I love you now and always. Will you marry me?"

"Yes."

He took the ring from the snitch and placed it on her finger, "This was Mum's ring. I found it last summer when I went through my parents vault at Gringotts. She had it placed there when she, Dad, and I went into hiding. She left each of us a note.

"How could she have left me a note?"

"Well it's addressed to 'my son's future wife'. Here they are if you'd like to read them." He held out two small pieces of parchment.

"I… yes… I think I would," she took the parchments from him and walked over to a bench to sit. He sat next to her.

Harry my darling boy,

If you're reading this now it's because I am no longer with you, and if I am gone then

your father is most likely as well. Never doubt that we loved you with all our hearts and

would do anything to keep you safe. By the time you find this I'm sure someone will

have explained to you just what happened and why we are gone, perhaps Sirius, Remus,

or Peter. As I sit writing this I hold hope that I will see you grow up, go off to Hogwarts,

meet the girl you want to spend the rest of your life with and give you this ring myself.

Just in case I don't, here, my darling is the ring your father gave me when he asked me

to marry him. I want you to give this to the woman you will marry. I still have my

wedding ring, the match to the one your father wears. Know my love that no matter what

I will always be with you, as will your father. We will be with you the day you propose.

We will be with you the day you marry, and we will be with you the day any and all of

your children are born. All I ask of you my son is to love your wife with the same passion

and devotion your father and I have for each other.

Love always,

Mum

Ginny wiped her eyes and looked up at the family now surrounding them, "We should mention your parents at the wedding. We should say something about them."

"Thank you," he said simply.

"Ginny dear what is it? What's wrong?" Molly asked seeing the tears in her daughter's eyes.

"This Mum," she replied holding out the parchment. She watched as first her mother then each of the other family members read the letter.

Hermione sniffed and Ron squeezed her tight, Fleur wiped her eyes, even Arthur pulled out his handkerchief.

"There's more," Harry said.

"More?" Molly asked.

"A letter addressed "To My Son's Future Wife."

"Oh my!"

"Should I… should I read it aloud?" Ginny asked.

"Only if you want to dear," Molly answered.

Ginny nodded, took a deep breath and began to read:

To My Son's Future Wife,

If you are reading this today then my husband and I are no longer here to speak with you

ourselves. I will never get the chance to get to know you, to see what it is about you that

my son loves so deeply that he wants you to spend your life with him. I won't get to be

there in person the day you take your vows to one another. I will never get to hold a

grandchild in my arms. It may seem odd to you that I write this when my son is only a

baby himself but I have a feeling you will understand the first time you hold your own

child in your arms. Though I will never get to know you if my son has chosen you then

you must be something special. I ask you please dear girl to love him,simply love him.

Love him with all your heart and never forget to let him know that you love him. Love him

fully and completely for as much or as little time as you have together. Though I will

never meet you dear girl I give you my blessing and my love.

Lily Potter

No one spoke, the family simply drifted away leaving Harry and Ginny sitting alone together on the bench.

Finally Ginny said, "I know I said I didn't need more than your original proposal but this… this was more than perfect. Thank you. I will do my best to love you as your mother has asked me to."

"And I will do my best to love you as my father and mother loved each other, and as they loved me, willing to give their lives to keep me safe. I love you Ginny!"

"I love you Harry!"


	13. Al's not happy

"Now that was romantic," Teddy said.

Draco nodded, "The snitch, that was a genius move. I assume you had charmed it to open only when both of you were touching it at the same time?"

"Yes, it was a light bulb moment. Even though she said she was ok with the first not quite proposal I wanted to make this one special for her too and not just for her mother which was her intention," Harry said.

"Uncle Harry that was so sweet," Rose sighed.

Albus bit his lip, "So what happened Dad?"

"What do you mean Al?"

"Why did you and Mum stop loving each other like you said you would?"

Draco cut in "Scorp I think we should go."

"No," Harry said, "It's ok. I'm not sure son, so much happened I'm not sure either of us knows. We grew apart, we stopped trying. It takes two people to make a marriage work and there were times where only one of us was trying, your mother more often than me I think. Sometimes people change and relationships change and you just don't realize it until it's too late."

"Yeah, or you just don't try," Albus retorted then ran from the room.

Harry stood to follow him but was stopped by a hand from the small blond boy, "I'll go Mr. Potter. He's not really mad at you anyway. We've talked about it a lot."

"He's right Uncle Harry. Al loves you he'll be fine just give him a few minutes." Rose stood and followed

Scorpius from the room.

Harry shook his head and grimaced.

"First time you've had any backlash from the divorce?" Draco asked.

"Yeah. Well from Al anyway. James actually sent me a Howler from school when he found out. He pretty much blames me entirely. Lily hasn't said much of anything yet either, just keeps asking when I'm moving home."

"That's pretty normal I'd guess."

Teddy nodded knowingly, "It is."

Both men turned to him, "How do you know?"

"Remember I said I did part of my apprenticeship in mind-healing. It's not just helping those like Nev's parents it's about helping anyone struggling with issues, things like divorce. Sometimes families are required to attend mind healing sessions as a group or just the kids if the divorce is particularly nasty. It's very similar to the Muggles' counseling. Actually I think that's how it started a Muggleborn healer whose parents had divorced and had had to attend counseling suggested it for wizard children who were having sudden outbursts of accidental magic that were becoming dangerous after their parents had split."

Harry cocked his head, "You've been keeping an eye on my kids haven't you?"

Teddy nodded, "I didn't think it would be necessary because even though you and Gin have your issues you've done your best to keep it from the kids. James is the one I was most worried about but Vic says he's been connecting with one or two others in Gryffindor that have divorced parents and that's helped him."

"I wonder if there are any books about things the Muggleborns have introduced to wizarding society that helped improve things," Draco mused.

"Hermione would know," Harry said, "Oh speaking of Hermione and Muggle things I finally remembered what she tried when she couldn't get the tapestry fixed through magic. She tried to do it by hand."

"By hand?"

"Yes. Apparently her mother likes to embroider as a hobby, so Hermione asked her mum to show her how it worked. She came over with needles and some gold thread one day but every needle she tried to use broke when it touched the tapestry."

Draco nodded, "Makes sense the Black family was so proud of being Pureblood they'd never allow work to be done in a Muggle fashion."

"What are you two talking about?" Teddy asked.

Harry looked up concern on his face, "Malfoy you explain. I'm going to go check on Al."

"Scorp and Rose-"

"I know. I know friends are important at a time like this but I think it's past time I talked to my son about this. I'll send the other two down for a bit."

Draco nodded and turned to Teddy.

Harry walked slowly up the stairs unsure of what he was going to say to his son. Nothing would make things all better. The more time passed the more guilty he felt for the end of his marriage, and things like Al's outburst only made him feel worse.

He stopped outside the closed door to Albus's room unsure of himself once again. Would talking to Al now make things worse? He heard low murmurs of the children in the room and didn't really want to interrupt them. Feeling a bit like a coward he turned and walked back down the stairs to an empty kitchen. He stood bewildered before the light bulb hit and he went back up the stairs to the drawing room.

Teddy and Draco were shoulder to shoulder looking at the tapestry both with wands drawn. Harry stood and watched for a few minutes as the two blonds consulted. Part of him was jealous that Teddy had another male he clearly looked up to but most of him was just glad that Teddy had more people to call on when he needed them. Iit was always good to have family, and it had to be good to have not just adopted family but actual relatives that cared for you.

"Teddy able to come up with any ideas?" Harry asked.

The two men turned to look at him, "He thought maybe we should try a variation on a healing spell and it sounded like something worth trying."

"Didn't work though huh?"

"No. I'll just have to do some more research. I may have to give in and see what I can what I can find in the Manor library."

"Look in the Manor library for what Dad?" Scorpius asked as he came into the room with Rose trailing behind, Al however was nowhere in sight.

"Ideas for how to fix this," Draco responded.

Rose piped up, "We could look at the Hogwarts library."

"Yeah we could," Scorp agreed.

"I could ask Vic if she has time to search in the Restricted Section or maybe she could just ask Madame Pince. If there's anything in the library with an answer she'd know," Teddy said.

Harry nodded, "She always seemed to know everything that went on in that library as well as what it contained."

"Not always," Draco drawled.

"Oh really?" Harry asked.

Draco looked at his son and Rose before replying, "Another time maybe. For now I think it's probably time to go."

Teddy nodded and reached out his hand to Rose, "Draco's right we should get you home little thorn."

"Little thorn?" Scorp's voice was filled with laughter.

Rose scowled, "Thanks Teddy, I'm so going to get your for that."

He laughed, "Someday maybe, but I don't hink it will be anytime soon, no magic for you outside school you know that."

Harry watched as everyone took turns stepping into the fireplace and Flooing away then turned again to the stairs. He walked slowly up to the next floor and stood outside his son's door, finally taking a deep breath and knocking.

"Yeah?"

"It's Dad. Can I come in?"

There was quiet for a few seconds then, "I guess."

Harry opened the door to find his son lying on his bed looking at the ceiling. He crossed the room to sit at the end of the bed and put a hand on Al's foot, "Anything you want to say to me Al?"

Al just shrugged.

Harry sighed, "It's okay to be mad at me Al."

"I'm not mad at you. I'm just...confused. How did this happen? You and mom always seemed happy."

"I don't know that we've been happy in a long time honestly but we were both so busy with you kids and with work that we didn't notice. We did fight we just tried out best not to do it around you guys."

Al sat up suddenly, "How can you be so busy that you don't even notice you're not happy? Was your job more important than your family?"

"Oh Al, it's not that my job was more important than my family I just was dedicated to it. When I was promoted so young and then promoted again I felt I had to do the best I could and I had to do it alone. I stopped delegating work to others. Your mom and I stopped talking to one another about anything other than you guys. It shouldn't have happened and it's more my fault than your mom's but we both still love the three of you."

"Why couldn't you work things out?"

Harry shook his head, "I don't know. I think we'd just changed too much. I'd hurt your mom's feelings too much. We're not the same people we were. She used to be one of my best friends and we stopped talking."

"Couldn't you start talking again now? Maybe you could get back together and we could have our family back," Albus pleaded.

"I have a question for you Al."

"What?" he asked sullenly.

"How does your mom seem these days?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is she happier?"

"Well I guess, I mean she's smiling more."

"What does that tell you?"

"That she's happier now, without you, with our family broken."

"We're not broken."

"What would you call it?"

Harry sighed again, "Different, our family is different but we are still a family."

"Different? Whatever."

"I'm sorry Albus, if I could go back and change things I would but it's too late now. I love you and your brother and sister, that will never change."

"You don't love Mom anymore," the boy argued.

Harry bit back a sigh and instead patted his son's foot, "Someday you'll understand that to love another person, a spouse or partner is not the same as to love your child. Until then I'll tell you as often as you need."

"I just want our old family back."

Harry reached out and took his son in his arms, "I know Al, I know."


	14. The tapestry

A week after the kids returned to school an owl found Harry at the Ministry.

Potter,

I have a few more ideas on how to fix the tapestry. Will you be home tonight or tomorrow so I can come by and try?

Malfoy

Harry took a look at the stack of files on his desk. He could always take them home. As he picked up a parchment Ron came to the door, "Minister wants to see you, something came up with the Larang case." Then he was gone. Harry sighed and headed to Kingsley's office. After a rather long detailed meeting he dashed off a quick note and sent it with the next owl he could grab.

Malfoy,

I won't be home until late tonight or early morning. I never reset the wards after you and Scorpius Flooed in last time so you should be able to go whenever you need. Thanks for the heads up. I'll let Kreacher know to expect you.

Potter

Harry dragged himself in the front door, exhausted from his last case, it had been a week since he had been home and he hadn't gotten a good night's sleep that entire time. He just wanted to go to sleep so he began to head up the stairs before he realized someone else was in the house. Drawing his wand he crept back down the stairs and down the hall. There was light and the sound of someone talking coming from the drawing room. He crept slowly to the doorway wand raised in front of him.

The light shimmered gold and shone off the blond head of the wizard in the room. Harry's wand dropped when realized it was Draco Malfoy in his drawing room. Malfoy seemed to be deeply involved in whatever spell he was casting. Murmuring and waving his wand in complicated patterns, Harry watched as gold thread began to stream from the end of Draco's wand. The thread began to repair the burned areas of the tapestry then wound itself into new names. The tapestry itself grew rapidly as names multiplied on its surface, no longer did it fill just one wall of the room it spread to a second and soon a third. Finally the gold thread stopped flowing from the wand, the light faded, Draco's hand fell to his side, his chin dropped to his chest, and he swayed. Harry reacted quickly flicking his wand to slide a chair across the room to catch Malfoy as he collapsed.

Draco's arm slipped off the arm of the chair and his cherished hawthorn wand dropped to the floor. He had clearly passed out. Harry walked over to look at the man slumped in his favorite drawing room chair. The blond hair and clothes usually so meticulous looked slept in. Actually the clothes looked suspiciously like pyjamas. What was he doing here at this sodding hour of the night anyway. Well repairing the tapestry but why now? And why in the hell had he not contacted Harry first?

Remembering the tapestry Harry turned to look at it, stepping closer. There were no burn marks. When his eyes fell on Sirius's name his hand reached involuntarily to touch it. Not far away was Tonks and Lupin connected by a gold line, with Teddy below them. The Weasley clan had appeared and took nearly a half a wall by themselves. His name, he himself, Harry Potter was on the wall now, though the line that had connected him to Ginevra was broken much as they were. Again he reached up to touch it but didn't get quite there before dropping his hand back to his side. There were his children, Al was going to be so excited that he was now on the wall like his mate. He'd have to take a picture and send it to him.

The man in the chair behind him began to rouse, his cloak rustled. Harry turned.

"You're home," Draco whispered.

"And you're in my home," Harry replied dryly.

"Sorry about that, I've been racking my brain for weeks trying to come up with a way to

fix that tapestry. It hit me last night as I was preparing for bed. I tried sending you an owl and Firecalling you but I couldn't get ahold of you. The owl came back, which was incredibly odd because Cygnus has never failed to deliver a letter before. I finally decided to see if I could find you here. Since you allowed me in the wards I Flooed in, I found quickly that you weren't here but I just had to try the spell."

"Last night, it came to you last night and you haven't dressed since then?" Harry raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Dressed, what are you-" Draco looked down at himself, "Merlin's beard! I've been so focused on this spell I hadn't even noticed. I've been studying every scroll and book I could summon to see if my idea would work but I couldn't find anything that was when I finally decided to come here. I was getting ready for bed I must have just jumped into the Floo."

"So you've been awake for over a day, working on this?" Harry gestured to the walls around them.

Draco stood suddenly and then swayed again. Harry reached out and caught him just as he began for fall forward. He pushed Draco back in the chair. "Malfoy I think you'd better get some sleep." Harry waved his wand summoning a Sleeping Draught that he pressed into Draco's hand. "Don't even bother trying to Apparate home, you'd splinch yourself for sure. You can stay here, Merlin knows there's plenty of space."

"I want to look at the tapestry." Draco murmured and tried standing again only to fall right back into the chair.

"Yeah I don't think so, maybe tomorrow. Come on off to bed." Harry lifted the phial to Draco's mouth practically pouring it down his throat. Then he pulled him up from the chair. He threw Draco's arm across his shoulders and put his arm around the other man's waist. The two men made their way up the decided maybe he needed to look into putting a lift into the house, four flights of stairs nearly carrying a full grown man was not an easy task. He should have cast Levicorpus. But he kept climbing until he got to Regulus's room, what better place to put Malfoy. He did his best to put Draco on the bed gently after all while the man had essentially broken into his house he had done it for good reason. The tapestry, he was going to have to dash a quick note off to Hermione, but in the morning as he wasn't much more awake than Malfoy at this point. Malfoy who was now snoring gently into the pillow. Malfoy snores he thought, Ron would just love that. He sighed, wishing his best mate was still his best mate because this might be worth an owl, and moved off to his own room, waving his wand to close the shutters and drapes so he could sleep late. He'd get to the office to write his report eventually and they could just wait for him.

Harry woke the next day to the sound of someone moving around in the room down the hall. Blearily he grabbed his glasses and put them on then grabbed his wand, stuck it in his pocket, and headed to check on Malfoy. He stopped outside the door and knocked but there was no answer only the sound of more rustling as if things were being tossed about the room. He knocked again, still no answer so he opened the door a bit, stuck his head in, and called, "Oi, Malfoy."

Draco looked up, "Where's my wand?"

"What?"

"My wand, you know that stick you wave to do magic. You remember it don't you? The one you took then returned?"

"Nice Malfoy," Harry rolled his eyes, "It's not in here with you?"

Draco now rolled his eyes, "Yeah Potter that's why I'm asking where it is."

"Wait, I think you dropped it in the drawing room downstairs when you finished fixing the tapestry. Sorry guess I didn't grab it when I drug you up here."

"You left my wand lying on the floor? Thanks a- wait did you say I fixed the tapestry? It's repaired?"

"More than repaired really."

"What does that mean?"

Harry gestured to the stairs, "Come on I think you need to see it for yourself and you can pick up your wand while you're at it."

They headed down the stairs not speaking as they went. Harry got to the drawing room door first, "There's your wand, right there on the floor next to the chair."

Draco walked right past him, ignoring the chair and his wand, walking straight to the wall. He stood simply staring at the tapestry, turning slowly to take it all in.

"It really worked," he said in awe reaching a hand out to brush it over the fabric.

Harry stood silently watching as Malfoy made his way from one end of the tapestry to the other and then back again. Finally Draco turned to him with a grin bigger than Harry had ever seen on his face before. "It's huge."

Harry nodded, "I almost wish I had a picture of it before so I know how many people were added when you restored those that were burned off. How did you do it?"

"I, it's, well it's a bit complicated."

"I think I could probably understand. I may not have gotten grades like you or Hermione but my scores were better than average, well when I tried anyway."

"Oh that wasn't what I meant," Draco replied suddenly, "I just meant it might take a bit to explain. I wasn't even sure it was going to work when I started."

Harry nodded, "Well why don't we go down to the kitchen. Kreacher can make us some breakfast while we talk."

"Ok," Draco nodded. He walked to the chair and stopped to pick up his wand then stood again and looked at the chair, over to the wall, back to the chair, then stood in front of the chair as if to sit placing the wand in his left hand. He held up the hand with the wand and nodded, then walked past Harry and down the stairs. Harry stood confused for a moment before following the blond to the kitchen.

They sat at the table and almost immediately Kreacher placed a cup of coffee in front of each of them followed by a steaming bowl of porridge. Only after he had consumed his first cup of coffee and started on the second did

Harry speak, "What was that upstairs?"

"You want to be more specific?"

"When you stood in front of the chair and switched hands with your wand. Aren't you right handed?"

"I am."

"You were using left hand last night."

Draco nodded, "I think I must have switched while I was casting the spell."

"Why would you do that?"

"Well the left arm is the one that.." he gestured to his forearm.

"The Dark Mark?"

"Yes."

'What does that have to do with anything?"

"I suppose I should start back at the beginning."

"That would be a good idea."

Draco sighed and sat back in his seat, "You know I've been researching since Scorp and I first came over. I've found references to other tapestries that were burned or otherwise damaged accidentally by magic and how to repair them but those were the first spells Granger tried. There are multiple references of people being disowned but very few about them being forgiven. We Purebloods can be a rather stubborn and vindictive lot. I finally found a ritual that was used to reclaim disowned members of a family. It was a few hundred years old but I figured it might work in concert with one of the repair spells it was just a matter of trying them to see which one."

"But why you're left hand? Is that some Pureblood thing?"

"No," Draco laughed, "not really. The ritual had to be performed by someone in the family who was in good standing according to family beliefs. The Blacks were not only steadfast in their belief in Purebloods and blood loyalty they were also supporters of the Dark… of Voldemort. I don't remember doing it but I think I switched hands so that the arm marked would be the one in control of the spell."

"Thereby convincing the tapestry that you were sincere."

"I think so."

"It's a bit unsettling how many magical objects seem to have a sentience."

"I think I'm so used to it I don't notice but I can see if you didn't grow up surrounded by them how it would be...odd."

"Odd?" Harry laughed.

Draco joined him. They finished eating in a comfortable silence, as Kreacher cleared the table the blond spoke again, "Do you mind if I spend some time here studying the tapestry? I'd really like to compare it to the other family histories I've found and the Sacred Twenty Eight."

Harry shrugged, "Sure. The room you were in this morning is yours if you stay so late you need to crash. No one else uses it."

"I'm guessing that's due to the decor."

"Well yeah."

"Why in the name of Merlin did you drag me all the way to the top floor instead of dropping me in one of the lower floor bedrooms anyway?"

"Honestly I was pretty exhausted myself and wasn't thinking then I realized there was probably no better room for you to stay in that Regulus's"

"Because he was a Slytherin?"

"Because he also joined the Death Eaters before he was of age and then later changed his mind and tried to help stop Voldemort."

"Is that how you see me?"

"Is it not how you see yourself?"

"I didn't really try to stop him."

"You didn't really try to help him either. You did the things you had to do to stay alive. You didn't identify me when the Snatchers brought us to the Manor. You didn't really fight me when I took the wands from your hand. Tell me you weren't just trying to survive. You can't be all that surprised that I see you that way, this is the same thing I said at your trial."

"I always thought you testified for me as part of the life debt you owed my mother."

"I never even thought of that and your mother has never called me on it. I suppose I should contact her and offer even at this late date to do something to repay her."

"If she's never contacted you then she won't let you do anything to pay her back. She'd have considered you defeating Voldemort and freeing us all as repayment.'

"Then I'll let it go unless I hear from her."

"She may want to come see the tapestry if you don't mind."

"It's her family tree; she's more than welcome. I can clear the wards for her or you can bring her with you. I need to head to work I have a ton of paperwork to catch up. Stay as long as you'd like."

"Thanks Potter."

"No problem."


	15. nightmares

Four days later Harry arrived home and made what was becoming a customary stop in the drawing room. He found Draco standing close to the wall, wand point almost touching it, body completely stiff. As Harry stepped closer he could see the name under the wand, Bellatrix LeStrange.

"Malfoy," he said quietly, "Malfoy? Malfoy!"

Draco shook his head and turned to look at Harry. "What?"

"Are you really going to burn the tapestry you worked so hard to repair?"

"Am I what?"

Harry gestured to Draco's wand still hovering just over his aunt's name.

Draco followed the gesture and looked down at his hand as if surprised it was attached to his arm. He shook his head once vigorously and dropped his arm to his side, quickly sliding his wand into a pocket.

"Not that I'd blame you for wanting to blast her name off," Harry added, "I just think you might regret it in the long run."

Draco nodded then changed the subject, "Kreacher has dinner ready he was just keeping it warm until you got home."

"Ok let's go eat."

The sound of shouting from across the hall woke Harry in the middle of the night. Draco seemed to be shouting in pain. Harry grabbed his glasses, wand, and dashed to the door with the RAB plaque. It wasn't locked so he opened it slowly wand at the ready, his well honed Auror reflexes on point. Peering into the room he saw no one there and cast a quick spell to be sure someone wasn't using a disillusionment charm. Draco was the only one in the room, though he was no longer crying out he was now whimpering. He stood watching the blond thrash in bed but was still trying to decide if he should wake him when the grey eyes flew open and in just seconds they were standing with wands at each other's' throats. A moment later both lowered their hands to their sides nearly simultaneously.

"What are you doing in my room Potter?"

"You were shouting and screaming like you were being tortured. No one should be able to get through my wards but I had to check. You must have been having a nightmare."

"Nightmare," Draco scoffed, "I don't have nightmares."

"I do."

"What?"

"I have nightmares from the war periodically. You can tell me about it. I won't judge you."

Draco cocked his head to one side thinking, "Whatever, I don't have nightmares. I'm going back to bed so go back to your own room Potter."

"Fine, next time cast Muffliato before you go to bed." Harry said before stalking back across the hall.

Late the next week Harry walked into the bathroom to attempt to get ready for bed and was greeted with a shout.

"Oi Potter, don't you know how to knock?"

"Damn Malfoy don't you know how to lock-" his voice trailed off as he caught Draco's reflection in the mirror and his eyes dropped to the white scars prominent on the other man's chest.

"Cat got your tongue Potter?" Draco intoned, then looking up he saw that Harry had suddenly gone pale and noticed where his gaze had dropped."Potter?... Harry?"

Harry shook his head, "I'm.. I'm sorry. I'll just... I'll just go downstairs." Harry rushed out the door.

Draco pondered following but decided it was better to just leave well enough alone. If Harry wanted to talk, he would, Merlin knew he'd been talking Draco's ears off every chance he got over the past week.

Draco awoke to the sound of Harry shouting for help. He grabbed his wand and ran across the hall to Harry's room to find the door locked.

"Help please! Someone help! Don't die! Dammit don't die! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Someone help us!"

Draco flicked his wand at the lock and entered the room slowly with it raised. Harry was alone and thrashing in his bed. Understanding dawned, before waking Harry, Draco summoned Harry's wand so he wouldn't be able to hex him unintentionally. He stepped closer, carefully reached out a hand, and shook Harry by the shoulder,

"Potter! Potter! POTTER! Wake up!"

"What?" Harry bolted upright, "What's going on? Why do you have my wand? Wait, Malfoy? Malfoy you're alive?

Oh thank Merlin! It was just -"

"A nightmare,' Draco finished his sentence. "You really were telling me the truth weren't you?"

"Why would I lie about having nightmares?" Harry was bewildered at the thought.

"I don't know trying to make me feel better."

"Well now you know. I didn't lie. I guess I forgot to cast Muffliato tonight."

"I guess."

"Why do you have my wand?"

"I was a bit worried that you'd hex me when I tried to wake you up," Draco replied as he held the wand back out to Harry. "I, I did it to Astoria the one night she tried to wake me," he said finally admitting to the nightmares that plagued him as well.

"I can see how you'd be more careful then."

Draco simply nodded.

"I'm not going to get back to sleep anytime soon." Harry complained.

"I can mix up a Sleeping Draught for you," Draco offered, "I'm sure I have the ingredients and it's a quick brew."

"No," Harry said, "I'll just go downstairs and read for a while. Besides have you ever tried a Sleeping Draught after a nightmare or to avoid one?"

Draco nodded, "It came back worse the next night."

"Exactly," Harry replied.

"You wouldn't want to…" Draco's voice drifted off.

"What?"

"Well, you wouldn't want to talk about it would you? The nightmare?"

"Why would you ask?"

"It's the same offer you made me. Maybe you're right. Ignoring them hasn't helped. Might was well try something else. And…" he trailed off.

"And who else could possibly understand right?"

Draco nodded.

"Ok but let's go down quietly, try not to wake Kreacher. He worries enough as it is. If he knows I've been having nightmares again he just might tell Hermione."

"You haven't told her?"

"No," Harry led the way into the drawing room, stirring up the fire with his wand and summoning two chairs to sit closer to it.

"I don't understand that. I thought you all were so close. Why would you keep this from her?"

"Everyone worried about me so much right after the war, I had horrible nightmares then but they eventually went away and I thought that was the last of them. Turns out I was wrong. Besides Mione has so much going on and she'd want to do whatever she could to help me."

"To fix you?" Draco intoned sardonically.

"Yeah. I mean to make me better so I feel better and because she'd worry about me otherise. Not that I don't want the nightmares to go away but I don't want anyone else worrying about them. It's bad enough they came back."

"Any idea why? I mean I know mine came back when Scorp went off to Hogwarts in September. My last memories of school aren't good ones and that was all I could think of as we got him ready. It just stirred it up. They don't come often but when they do they're pretty horrendous. Tori wasn't as involved in the war and she used to have the occasional nightmare. I think she had a few again in September too, not that we talk about it much."

"Mine started again about two years ago. We finally found Rowle hiding in a hole in Brazil. His capture wasn't great but it was his trial that really seemed to bring it all back. Then like you when James headed off last year it stirred things up, and again as Al went this year, then of course just being back in this house. It all kind of adds up."

"So what was the dream tonight?" Draco asked.

"You first," Harry said.

"I didn't have a nightmare tonight."

"But you refused to tell me about the one last week."

"And I asked you first tonight."

"We're acting like children you know.'

"Yeah and?" Draco said.

"Fine," Harry huffed. "Sixth year."

"Well that's specific."

"Our fight sixth year in the bathroom. I thought I'd killed you."

Draco thought for a second, "Well that explains all your yelling for help. Why did you use that spell? You had to know how dangerous it was."

"Actually I didn't. I didn't know what it did at all."

"You used a spell and you didn't know what it would do," Draco was aghast, "Where did you even learn it that you didn't learn what it did?"

"It was in my potions book."

"Okay that makes no sense wahtsoever. I don't remember seeing any spells in our potions books."

Harry explained about the Half Blood Prince's Potions book that he used sixth years, "I guess I'm just lucky that Snape was the one who came in. Since it was his spell he knew how to counteract it."

"I think I'm the lucky one," Draco said.

"I..yeah." Harry bit his lip, "I've never apologized to you for that and I should have."

"Potter I was getting ready to use an Unforgivable on you; you had to do something. Though I'm not sure even I would have used a spell if I didn't know what it did, even if it was labeled for enemies. I'm still rather shocked I wasn't ever punished for using Unforgivables."

"Well technically it was legal once Voldemort took over besides I think they had to let that slide or they would have been punishing people on both sides, including me. "

"You?" Draco's eyes were as large as saucers, "You used an Unforgivable? You the savior of the wizarding world? The Chosen One?"

"Yes me, how do you think we got into Gringotts to get into Bellatrix's vault?"

"So you Imperiused a goblin, somehow I don't think that would have been a big offense then though now would be a different story."

"I also Imperiused Travers when he came along with us into the bank. McGonagall used it to, on one of the Carrows, the brother I think it was and that was after I used the Cruciatus on him. I tried to use it on Snape and your aunt too. Desperate times call for desperate measures," Harry said.

"I guess, the only time I was going to use it willingly was that day in the bathroom."

"Willingly, there's the key. You used it more but under threat of it yourself."

"How do you know that?"

"Remember I told you that I was a horcrux?"

"Yes."

"That part of Voldemort's soul in me created a connection between us. I could see his thoughts and what he was doing at various points. He used it against me once and then seemed to block me out for the better part of a year but that last year he got careless or distracted or I don't know but I saw you using Crucio under the threat of worse to yourself or your parents."

Draco shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "I think I'm glad I didn't know you knew that until now."

"Why? You did what you had to do to live and to keep your family safe."

"I could have fought like you did."

"I fought for the same reason you didn't, to protect the people I loved."

"But you were willing to die for them."

"I didn't have a choice if I wanted them to live. Tell me the truth if you could have sacrificed yourself to guarantee your mother's safety wouldn't you have done it?"

"Just my mother?"

"Would you have died to save Lucius?"

Draco shook his head, "I don't know. I don't know that he would have died to save me, though my mother would have."

"Your father was terrified for you in the final battle, he was begging Voldemort to let him come find me but he wanted to find you."

"Even knowing that, I just don't know."

"Because he was the one that put your family in that position to begin with?"

"Maybe."

"Well this got more depressing and deep than I expected and you still haven't told me what your nightmare was about."

"My aunt teaching me occlumency and enjoying it, enjoying every time she was able to get into my head."

"She and Snape had that in common, he seemed to delight in my failures when he was supposedly trying to teach me to close my mind. Not that what he did could be called teaching I don't think. I was never more convinced that he hated me than after one of those lessons."

"As cruel as I'm sure he could be to you I doubt very seriously that he used the Cruciatus on you while trying to teach you."

Harry's eyes went wide, "Why in the bloody hell would she do that?"

"I'd gotten good at blocking her out even when she'd do it when I wasn't expecting it so she said she had to take it to the next level. She'd hit me with a crucio and while I was in pain from that she'd try to get into my head. Then she'd have someone else hit me with the crucio so she could concentrate harder on leglimency. The nightmare was one of those times, I could feel the pain, I was writhing on the floor while she rifled through my head cackling at what she found. She always did that then would use the information against me somehow. Sometimes she would blackmail me with it, threatening to tell my father or the Dark Lord what she'd seen unless I did what she wanted, other times she went straight to them with the information often leading to me being on the receiving end of yet another Cruciatus. She and Voldemort both seemed to know exactly how far to take that to keep people useful. I shudder to think how many people they broke trying to figure it out. Then there were the times when he gave her free reign and she'd prance around cackling as she tortured someone until they could no longer beg for mercy. She'd do it over and over again before she'd finally kill them. It was as bad to witness it as it was to be the one on the other end of the wand," Draco shuddered and curled in on himself with only one hand free spinning his tea cup around and around on the table.

Harry shook his head slowly, "There are times when I wonder if your aunt wasn't more cruel and insane than Voldemort himself."

"I think she was."

They sat quietly for a few minutes, it was Harry that broke the silence, "You said you hexed Astoria when she woke you from a nightmare."

Draco just nodded.

"I have to ask, not that I have a problem with you staying here to do your research on the tapestry but what does your wife have to say about it. Doesn't she miss you, expect you home?"

"Well she would, if we were married."

"What?"

"Astoria and I married to avoid a match by our parents."

"I remember you saying that."

"We're friends but we're not nor have we ever been in love. Ours was really a marriage of convenience. We married with the agreement that after we had provided the requisite one child we could separate. When Scorpius was a year old we quietly divorced."

"I had no idea."

"I'm sure most people didn't know. As we'd been living in France staying out of the limelight we were able to do it without it becoming fodder for Rita Skeeter and her ilk here in the UK. We've been living in one of the old Black properties so we each have a wing of our own with Scorp's room right in the middle. We each go our own way, see people occasionally but we continue to appear together when the situation warrants."

"Like putting your son on the Hogwarts Express."

"Exactly."

"How did you parents take it?"

"Neither of our mothers were surprised and while our fathers weren't happy we had done as good Purebloods are expected to do so they didn't argue."

"Well then that explains why there haven't been any Howlers wondering where you are."

Draco tilted his head, "Get many of those yourself?"

"One or two. I took to staying here when I knew nightmares were coming on so the kids wouldn't be scared."

"But you didn't tell your wife where you were?"

"I told her where."

"But not why? Not smart Potter."

"I know I get that now. Guess I know better for next time."

"Next time? You planning on marrying again?"

"I'm not ruling it out, what about you?"

"I think once was enough for me. I could see being in a relationship again, being in love again, but I just don't know about being married again."

"It would be different to be married to someone you love you know."

"Probably," Draco admitted, "Well, I don't know about you but I'm feeling pretty worn."

"Yeah," Harry nodded, "I think I can probably sleep now without any more nightmares, at least for tonight. Talking seems to have helped."

The two went to bed with an unspoken agreement to no longer cast Muffliato. Over the next few weeks anytime one of them had a nightmare the other woke him and they went to the kitchen to talk. The nightmares came less often as time passed.


	16. Ginny comes to talk

The owl came in with the first light of day.

 _Harry,_

 _Could I come over and talk to you? We have a few things to discuss, and I have a few things to tell you._

 _Ginny_

He didn't know what she felt the need to say to him or to discuss but it couldn't hurt and she was the mother of his children and once one of his best friends he felt the need to hear her out.

 _Ginny,_

 _Come on over. I can go into work late today._

 _Harry_

 _Harry,_

 _I may be bringing someone with me if that's alright. And I'd like to talk to you alone at least at first but I think it's time I met Malfoy again. Lily would like to spend nights there with you again and and I want to talk to him before I allow it._

 _Ginny_

 _Ginny,_

 _Bring whomever you like though you'll have to come to the front door. I trust you remember how to get here. I'll let Draco know you'd like to speak with him. I'll assume that means you plan on giving him a chance and for that I thank you Ginny._

 _Harry_

Two hours later there came a knock on the door. Harry called out, "I'll get this one Kreacher!"

He took a deep breath as he reached the door, from Ginny's note he thought things might go well but he really didn't want to get his hopes up too high. They might just end up fighting again. He would do whatever he could to keep his cool, his children were too important to him. Draco had agreed to stay in his room until Harry sent Kreacher to get him later. He was planning on spending the time writing to Scorpius and continuing his research on a few books he had found in the Black family library.

Ginny stood on the stoop looking over her shoulder at the street when Harry opened the door.

"Ginny," he said as he stepped back and gestured into the house, "let's go to the drawing room."

She nodded and stepped past him continuing down the hall saying nothing.

Harry shook his head, no this was not going to be easy, then again what in his life ever had been. He was only a few steps behind her but she had already crossed to look at the tapestry by the time he entered the room.

"Al wrote to me about this, he even sent me the picture you took. It's being passed around the family. I'm surprised you haven't had anyone else ask to come see it. Never thought our blood traitor family would be on a family tree in a pureblood house like this."

Harry bit his lip before answering, "No one is really speaking to me right now. No one but Hermione that is."

She turned to face him, "And that's my fault I suppose?"

He held up a hand, "I'm not accusing you, if it's anyone's fault it's mine. I could reach out to them and explain at least take responsibility for my part in our divorce, but they're your family. They should be there for you."

"But that leaves you with no one doesn't it."

"Not exactly," he replied.

"True, you do have Malfoy don't you," she said blandly.

He nodded once, "Yes, I guess, but that wasn't really want I meant. I have Hermione. I have Andromeda and Teddy. Besides I've always been much more comfortable alone than you. You were always surrounded by family. I've been self-sufficient as much as possible for as long as I can remember. Even now when I am alone I'm not, Kreacher is here and surprisingly enough he cares about me too."

She sighed, "But my family has been yours for longer than we've been together. They should still be there for you as well. I've taken that away from you."

He shook his head rapidly, "Gin, I screwed up. I should have trusted you more. I should have talked to you. I should have delegated responsibility at work. I've never been good at asking for help. I never had to be," he said with a half laugh, "everyone always helped without my asking. I felt the need to prove myself."

"Why?"

"Youngest Assistant Head Auror ever, on track to take over the office within the next year, the Boy Who Lived Twice, the Chosen One? You have to ask why?"

"I suppose that was a ridiculous question. It's who you are. You're right you never asked for help and often fought it when it was offered. But you didn't even talk to me. I thought you 'loved me'."

"I did. I still do, but it wasn't just me that stopped talking."

She turned back to the tapestry reaching out to touch each of their children's names, "I know," she said quietly.

He stood dumbstruck she turned to see the shock in his eyes for just a moment before turning back to the wall, "You expected me to argue."

"Or to say that I stopped talking first."

She nodded, "Quite honestly just a few days ago I would have done just that but ever since Al sent me that letter and then another asking me why, telling me that you didn't blame me but making it clear between the lines that he did at least partially, I've done a lot of thinking. I don't know who stopped talking first. I'm not sure it matters considering neither of us called the other on it."

"I would never have thought to call you on it. I was too busy and I've always let you just come to me when you were upset about something. That has always worked better than asking you about it or confronting you. That was clearly a mistake, a bad habit, an excuse for me to avoid confrontation."

"You do hate confrontation which makes it all the more interesting that you're living with Malfoy."

"I'm not living with Malfoy," Harry snapped, "he's just staying here while he does his research on the Pureblood families."

Ginny raised an eyebrow and filed away his quick defense for later consideration instead changing the subject, "Have you changed anything about work?"

He nodded, "I did. I sat down and went through all of my duties, made lists of those that absolutely have to be handled by me and those that can be handled by others. I've talked with Robards about reorganizing the office structure. It may be too late for us, but it's not too late for me to spend more time with the kids when they're home from school."

"And should you get married again you'll be better off."

"I don't see myself getting married again any time soon. There's just too much to work out before then and I'm not going to do anything that would make the kids feel like they don't come first."

She cocked her head to the right considering, "So there's no one in your life right now?"

He shook his head.

"Really?"

He fought to not glare at her, "No, there is no one in my life. There hasn't been another woman in my life since you Gin."

She put her hands up, "Ok, I believe you." _Though I find it interesting you specified women._

"Are you happy Gin?"

She turned once again to the tapestry running her fingers over the name of each of her family members pausing at the the broken line between her name and Harry's, "I am. I almost hate to say that to you but I am. You were right I haven't been happy in a long time."

"Just writing about Quidditch wasn't enough was it?"

Her hand dropped to her side again, "That was part of it. As each of our children has left to go to Hogwarts I find myself with more and more free time and nothing to fill it, and you weren't there to spend it with. I had these dreams of us starting to travel more when we had freedom but you were more and more busy with work. I was so frustrated, you weren't home to talk about it and I didn't want to bother you when you were busy with work. But the more you weren't home the more frustrated I got and then I started thinking you should just know, you should be able to tell how upset I was, how hard a time I was having. Don't get me wrong I love our kids. I love having Lily at home and I'm trying to enjoy what time we have but since we decided to send the kids to Muggle primary school I'm alone all day long. Just before the end of last school year I was on a story and was approached by the coach of a team to come back and play or to come in as a coach when the kids were in school or sooner. I started to think about it but I didn't respond we got so busy with James home for the summer and Al getting ready to leave us. Then when he was gone I started to think about the options again, much as I'd like to play I don't think I can get in that shape and maintain it but I was really intrigued by the idea of coaching. Again I wanted to talk about it with you but I just couldn't find the way to do it or a time. Then we had the argument about Malfoy's son and the failed vacation. I really was worried you had found someone else and were keeping them here. I can't tell you how many times I thought about bursting in here on a night you didn't come home but I couldn't leave Lily," she paused and shook her head, "no that's just an excuse, I could have found someone to watch her I was just afraid and I didn't want to confront you but I couldn't stop thinking about it. It didn't help that our sex life was all but non-existent, when you started staying nights here I was sure I knew why."

"Was our sex life really that bad?"

She shook her head and laughed sadly, "That you even have to ask is proof of that isn't it? When we had sex it was good, maybe not as good as it was when we were young and before we had three kids but that's to be expected or at least that's what I hear from my married friends. The bigger issue is that we just never had sex any more and it always seemed like I had to initiate it when we did."

His eyes drifted to the ceiling as he thought back, "Really?"

Once again she turned to look at him, "Think back Harry, when was the last time we had sex? When was the last time you started it? I'd lay good odds you have no idea."

His cheeks flamed as he realized she was right, "I'm sorry Gin. I don't know what else to say. If we had it to do over I'd do things differently but that doesn't change anything now."

"No it doesn't, but I think maybe we're where we're meant to be now. We've been drifting apart for years. I wonder if it weren't for the kids if we would have separated long ago."

"Did you stop loving me?"

"No, I still love you. Part of me will always love you but it's not the same as it was back at school or just after the war when we were all enjoying our freedom for the first time really ever. I think what Mum feared about Fleur and Bill marrying in a rush because of the war actually applied more to us. We married quickly after the war, almost in a celebration of still being alive. I wouldn't take it back because I wouldn't trade our kids for the world but I wonder if what we had was really a lifelong love like Ron and Hermione or Mum and Dad. I had such a crush on you for so long. I was sure I was moving beyond it seeing Dean and then you finally caught on. After the war I was just so happy to have you back. I don't know. I try not to second guess because we have to live life as it is but I think we're both better off now, or at least I hope we are."

"Is it really too late for us?" Harry asked.

She sighed, "If you have to ask that question then you already know the answer."

"Yeah I guess I do. Are you happy now Gin?"

"You realize you already asked me that."

"I know but I think I just need to hear it again. I know I hurt you and I want you to be happy. I want to know that you're okay."

She sighed but her mouth quirked into half a smile, "I am."

"Then I'm happy for you, and for him, whoever he is, but he'd just better treat you right. He'd better treat you better than I did, or so help me I'll-"

She cut him off with a burst of laughter, "This," she said ,"this is what I think we're supposed to be. Friends, I think it's what we really always should have been."

"We lost that somewhere along the way didn't we?"

She simply nodded.

"Think we can get it back?"

"In time. It would make things easier on the kids as well."

"It would. Al seems to be having the most trouble with the divorce unless the other two are just hiding it better."

"He always has been our most sensitive child."

"He has but to be honest I expected James to be more angry than he was. Or at least to show it more. I know he didn't want to come here on break and that probably had as much to do with the divorce as the Malfoys visiting but he insisted it was just them. I expected a Howler from him but he's not said much at all."

"He is the oldest, I think he caught on to the tension between us more than the other two, and Lily is fine as long as she knows we both still love her."

"So…"

She raised an eyebrow, "So what?"

"So are you taking the coaching job?

"I will be working with a team, some coaching, mostly working with the reserve players and doing recruitment. That's part of what I wanted to talk to you about. I'll need to be gone sometimes in the evenings and maybe for a few days at a time on trips. I'd like to feel safe leaving Lily here with you."

"Draco is not the same person we knew in school you know. He's changed over the years."

"I know, between you and the kids, and Teddy, and Hermione I'm getting that picture. It's just really hard to let go of my anger towards the Malfoys."

"I can understand that, but Ginny you have to remember that even though he is a Malfoy, Draco is not Lucius. You have every right to still be furious with Lucius after what happened with the Chamber but that WAS Lucius."

She nodded, "I know. Mentally I know that but it's hard to break years worth of knee-jerk reaction when it comes to that family. I am trying. I just want to talk to him."

"He's here, upstairs in his room. He said he'd stay there until you asked to see him or until you left should you change your mind. He doesn't want to make things harder for the kids."

"I appreciate that. I should probably talk to him and get it over with."

"I can go get him but didn't you say you were bringing someone with you?"

"Oh yes, Oliver should be here any time now, maybe we should wait the two of you can go down to the kitchen and catch up. I know he wants to talk to you."

"Oliver?"

"Yes."

"Oliver Wood?"

"Yes."

"Oliver Wood that drove us all crazy on the Quidditch team?"

"Yes."

"Oliver Wood of Puddlemere United."

"Merlin's sake, yes Harry."

He shook his head as if trying to clear it, "Ok. So are you just working with him or what?"

"Well, or what I think."

"You think? You're not sure? Shouldn't you know that?"

She rolled her eyes, "Ok yes, we are working together and recently started spending time together away from work."

Just then the doorbell rang again. Harry turned and went to answer it with Ginny trailing behind.

"Hullo Oliver."

"Hi Harry," Oliver stood a bit uncomfortably on the front stoop. Harry stood aside and gestured for him to enter. Oliver walked past Harry stopping to give Ginny a hug but hesitated looking over his shoulder back at Harry.

"I'll just run up and get Draco. Gin if you show Oliver how to get to the kitchen I'll be right down. I want to hear what it's like to coach Quidditch when you're not also playing."

Ginny mouthed her thanks over Oliver's shoulder as Harry turned to go up the stairs.


	17. Ginny talks to Draco

Ginny was standing once again looking at the tapestry when Draco entered the room behind her. She didn't turn and he stood silently watching her look at the wall. Seconds turned to minutes before she finally spoke.

"Why did you do this?"

"Why did I repair the tapestry?" he asked.

"Yes."

He shrugged, "It needed to be done."

"That's it?" She said disbelievingly, "Then why not do it before now?"

"I didn't even know it existed until we came to visit over Christmas break."

"And if you had?"

"I don't know," he said quietly.

She whirled to face him, "Why not?"

"Completely honest?"

"Again I say why not?"

"I would have had to approach Harry."

"Swallowing your pride just a bit too hard for you?"

Though he had been expecting it, her caustic tone still took him by surprise but he refused to respond in kind instead taking a calming breath before replying "How would I need to swallow my pride to offer help to Harry with the tapestry? It's not like I was asking for his help, then I can guarantee that I would have had to swallow my pride, but if it had been for my son I would have done it."

"This started because of your son didn't it?"

"He and Al yes. They found the tapestry and asked us about it. Repairing it doesn't fix all the horrible things my family or I did through the years but at least I can set a new and better example for my son than my parents did for me. Well better than my father did for me."

"Yes it appears your mother is quite an actress," she said with a half smile.

He raised an eyebrow, "Teddy finally fessed up to everyone else huh?"

"Well most everyone else."

"Let me guess, Ron?"

She nodded.

"Well I can't blame him for that. I wouldn't have blamed Harry if he had chosen not to encourage the relationship between our boys. Still I'm glad he did. Scorpius was so excited to go to Hogwarts, though we tried to talk him out of it."

"You really think he would have been better off at Beauxbatons?"

He shook his head, "I don't honestly know. Things weren't quite as bad there during the war and our name isn't as well known there. He may have still been shunned but I don't think it would have been to the extent we feared would happen at Hogwarts and quite possibly would have been if not for your son. He is a really great kid."

She couldn't help the smile that lit her face, "He is." Yet again she turned to look at her family's names on the tapestry.

"So how long will you be here studying this?"

"I don't know. I'm comparing the books I've found on old wizarding families to the tapestry now, cross-referencing with any other books I can find on wizarding history to try to create a more accurate account."

"Why?"

"Pardon me?"

"Why bother?" she asked looking over her shoulder at him.

"The truth needs to be available. I won't force it on anyone and honestly if I try to get it published I'm sure I'll have to pay for it myself but I think it would be good for the information to be out there. At this point those hanging on to the Pureblood is best need to be reality checked. So many of those families disowned people for ridiculous reasons, including my own family. Many of them are also hiding halfblood family members to try to appear more pure. It's all so senseless."

"You don't see this as a way to redeem your family name?"

"With my father still spouting this nonsense?" he looked at her eyes wide in disbelief, "Besides no one would believe it coming from me anyway. They'll all think I'm just trying to trash fellow Pureblood families."

"But if you plan on including your own family."

"I do. If and when I actually write something I'll start with the Black family, then go to the Malfoy family then on to others."

"I would think that, that would change some people's minds."

"They would have to actually read the book or at least read a review about it first. It would be better to publish it under a pseudonym. Then again if I published it under my own name it would be sure to get press if nothing else from that obnoxious old beetle."

"Skeeter?" she laughed, "really it's rather amusing that you who cooperated with her charade during the Tournament is now so condescending of her."

"Well I was rather condescending to everyone back then including her, prat that I was. I know better now."

This time it was her eyes that went wide, "You admit that?"

"Admit what?" he asked, "That I was a prat. Not like I can deny it truthfully."

"Hmm."

"Harry said your daughter would like to start staying the night here occasionally."

"Would like to and it would be helpful to me," she walked over to the settee and explained the new situation to him.

"I don't have to be here at night to do my work," he said, "Harry was kind enough to offer the extra room but if it makes you more comfortable I can go home each night, or at least the nights you want Lily to stay here."

"You would do that?"

"Ginevra, my son is more important to me than anyone else in the world. I would never want to put him at risk. There are people we knew in school I would send my son to for a night and those I don't ever want him to come into contact with. I can't fault you in the slightest for not wanting your children around me considering everything my family and I did to you and yours. If you need me to not be here for you to feel your child is safe then I won't be. It's as simple as that."

She considered for a moment, "I'm beginning to think Lily will be perfectly safe with you."

"I sense a but in that statement."

She shrugged, "Ok, I'm wondering if someone else will be safe with you."

Bewilderment shone on Draco's face, "You're worried about one of your boys?"

"No, though I never thought I'd say this, I think all of my children are perfectly safe with you."

"Then I don't understand."

"Harry," she said.

"What about Harry?"

"I'm not so sure he's safe with you."

"You realize that makes absolutely no sense don't you. That you believe your kids are safe with me but their father isn't."

"Probably not to you but it does to me."

He shook his head, "Ok then."

"Malfoy before I asked Harry if I could come here and talk to him I went to see your wife, or should I say ex-wife."

He grimaced and said, "Dare I ask just how much dear Astoria told you?"

She grinned, "Oh I think you already know the answer to that."

He slumped into the nearest chair sighing, "Bloody wonderful."

"By now you have to know that I'm not going to out you, if I were I would have done it by now. While I admit that just a short time ago I would have enjoyed watching the fallout and how you handled it now it would hurt your son which would hurt mine and I won't do that. Besides I think things could get very interesting."

"Really woman would you please just stop hinting around and come out and say what you're thinking."

"Well then I have to say I think you and Harry could be a really interesting match."

"I think you're mind has gone missing, Harry is not bent."

"I'm not so sure about that."

"You think he's bent and you married him? You had three children with him."

"Yes because gay men and women never have children to try and pretend to be straight," her eyes rolled hard.

"I wasn't pretending. I was doing for my family as was expected and I got Scorpius out of the deal so I have no complaints. Other than the fallout like you said that would effect my son I really don't care if people know or not. But Harry? You think he's pretending? And again I ask and you married him?"

"No I don't think he's pretending, and I don't think he's in denial. At least not consciously."

Again confusion shown in his eyes, "What in Circe's name do you mean? Is he bent or not?"

"I think he's bi."

Draco's jaw dropped and one hand went in the air, "Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. You **think** he's bi. Think?"

"Yeah."

"What… Why… I don't understand. What in Merlin's name makes you think he's bi?"

"Well let's start with his near unhealthy obsession with you back at school."

"We were rivals, school enemies. He was trying to catch me at something like I was always trying to get him in trouble."

"Really?" She cocked her head and raised an eyebrow, "that's all it was? You only wanted to get him in trouble. Please you watched him more than I did and I had a massive crush on him for years. Tell me you didn't want him," she challenged.

"I-" he began.

"Before you answer," she cut him off, "keep in mind I talked to Astoria and was rather amused to hear the plan for a 'Draco says Potter's name' drinking game in Slytherin that was only squelched because somehow wind of it got to Snape."

Draco's face was on fire as he grumbled, "Clearly I need to have a conversation with my darling ex-wife about what it is acceptable to talk about and with whom."

At this she laughed, guffawed even, "Won't work."

"What won't work?"

"I said she told me everything didn't I, or at least implied it. Besides she thinks the idea of you and Harry together is positively perfect. I have to admit when I first thought of it I was horrified but the more I think about it the more I think she just might be onto something, especially after hearing each of you talk about the other."

"Bloody brilliant our ex-wives plotting to get us together," he sat back and put both hands over his face, "how do I know this isn't just some prank? I still haven't heard anything else to convince me that he really is bi. Especially since you tell me he himself doesn't know."

She raised an eybrow and smirked at her, "Interested though aren't you."

He bit his lip, sat up, and just glared at her.

"Oh you're interested, and that in and of itself is quite interesting."

"Did you get into the Firewhiskey in here while you were waiting for me?" he said while turning to look at the bottle to guage it's level, "You're beginning to sound a bit pissed."

She laughed, "Oh you just can't resist the idea can you?"

He stood up, "Ok I'm done here."

"Oh wait," she griped and pouted, "Fine I'll talk, just sit."

He sat again and gestured for her to continue.

"Harry never used to be a people watcher, other than watching you at school that is. It was his auror training that changed that. Everywhere we went he started to look around us, watching all of the people be they magical or Muggle. That was great for me because I've always been a people watcher. It was fun to have someone to do it with finally, none of my brothers do, and Hermione always has too much on her mind, and while it can be hysterical to people watch with Luna it can also be exhausting. I began to notice though that his eyes drifted more and more to wizards than to witches. At first I thought it was just because so many of the people he's investigated and arrested have been male, but it wasn't just that. His eyes seemed to be drawn to tall, fit men, and they stayed a bit longer on those men than others. I honestly don't think he even realized he was doing it or if he did he rationalized it somehow, something about them being the hardest ones to catch up to if they ran so he needed to keep an eye on them," she explained.

"And you never brought this up?"

"How exactly would I have done that?" She scoffed, "Hey honey I think maybe you're a little bent what do you think? That would have gone over wonderfully."

"Gryffindors," he shook his head, "you're not capable of being more subtle? Start by commenting when he's looking at a fit bloke, something like 'I noticed him too, think he plays Quidditch?' Or 'I think that bloke might be a seeker.' Point out men to him and see how he reacts. Then you have a basis for the comment."

"And possibly lose my husband because he decides he wants to try blokes out for a while?"

Again his head shook, "You really think he would have done that. This is Potter we're talking about. He's so loyal he could have been a Hufflepuff. But why haven't you said anything now?"

"He'd take it as my making excuses for why we divorced. If he doesn't figure it out for himself he'll just deny it. He'll refuse to believe it. I can and will drop hints on the occasions I see him and I think I can get Hermione to do it too, but you're here, you're interested, and I think he would be too."

"And how exactly am I supposed to bring him to this realization?"

"I don't know, maybe walk around the house more without your shirt on, those were the blokes that really caught his attention. I could barely get him to talk to me when we went to a beach or pool. He kind of went into a trance or a I don't know but he disappeared. It always caught my attention because he made a concerted effort not to look at other women. I could point them out and he'd take a really quick glance and just hmm in answer or he'd say he hadn't noticed. If he was looking at a bloke though I'd have to call his name to get his attention and invariably he'd have some story about what he was thinking of oftern work related but it always felt untrue."

He began shaking his head as soon as she mentioned his shirt being off and while he waited for her to finish speaking when she did he spoke vehemently, "No! Absolutely not! Just no!"

"I would never imagine you to be such a prude."

"I'm not," he retorted, "He came barging in the bathroom not long ago and I didn't have my shirt on yet after my shower. Needless to say the scars from our unscheduled duel sixth year were not a good thing for him to come across. He woke me up in the middle of the night yelling and screaming bloody murder."

"Nightmares, he really does have them. I wish he'd told me about them but I don't know that I could have done anything. However, from what I hear you have that in common, nightmares I mean. Talking about those should help you get closer."

"I am not using either of our nightmares to try and start a relationship."

"Not a relationship just build a connection. Maybe touch him casually more often. Get him into a conversation about what he looks for in a partner, just be careful not to mention gender."

"Ok," he said standing up again, "I think that's about as much of this conversation as I can handle right now. I'm disturbed enough that you're suggesting this but I can only imagine what your brother would say."

"Ron?"

He nodded.

"Well he's always been rather a prat. Besides idiot that he is, he's still not speaking to Harry."

"All the more reason not to do what you're suggesting," he insisted.

"Correction all the more reason to do this," she replied, "It was one thing when Ron was being the protective older brother but I'm happy now and he knows that yet he's still being an arse to his best mate of over 25 years. If he's dumb enough to not get over it by now then he can just deal with losing his best mate. He made the bed he can lie in it."

He shook his head in amazement, "No sympathy in your family huh?"

"Not for idiots!"

He laughed, "Well can't say I disagree with that."

"Good so don't be an idiot. If you want Harry he's free now, do whatever you need to."

"Do whatever he needs to do what?" Harry asked as he came in the door followed by Oliver, "You two have been in here an awfully long time, we were beginning to worry. Just wanted to be sure no blood had been spilled or hexes traded."

"Harry really?" Ginny replied in mock horror.

"Please Gin with your tendencies I wouldn't have been surprised to walk in and see Malfoy's face covered in wings."

Draco cringed, "Been there done that, not looking to do it again thanks."

Everyone laughed, "So really what were you saying to him about doing whatever he needs to do?"

"He wants to publish his findings on the tapestry but he's worried no one will do it because of his family name," Ginny lied cleanly.

Draco picked up the somewhat lie and continued, "Or that people will think I made it all up to improve my family name and image."

Harry raised an eyebrow the Auror in him not quite believing what he was hearing but willing to let it go for now to keep the peace, "That's ridiculous, revealing those disowned by Pureblood families including yours won't help your family."

"Doesn't matter right now I have a lot more work to do before I'm ready to publish my results anyway."

Oliver piped in, "We should go and let you get back to it, and I'm sure Harry needs to get into the office."

Harry walked the two of them to the door leaving Draco to wonder at what had just occurred. "I'm glad you found some happiness Gin and I'm sorry I sent you seeking it."

She hugged him and whispered in his ear, "Just be on the lookout for happiness for yourself, you never know where or who it might come from. Be open to it."

He pulled back, "I don't think I'm ready to try to find happiness elsewhere."

"Harry James Potter, don't be ridiculous. I'm not saying go looking for it or trying too hard but be open to the possibilities. Promise me!"

"All right, all right. I promise. I'll keep an open mind."

"Good," She shot a quick glance over his shoulder to Draco who had come up the hall before turning and walking out with Oliver then apparating away.

"What was that about?" Harry wondered aloud.

"What?" Draco asked.

"Ginny insisting I be open to happiness," he turned to look at Draco, "she's up to something."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because I know her."

"And that's why you divorced right?" Draco intoned sardonically.

"Yeah, yeah. I stopped paying attention but I'm paying attention now and she's up to something. She's got someone picked out for me I'd bet on it. She didn't say anything to you about it did she."

Only Draco's Malfoy facade and Slytherin instincts kept him from reacting, "Why in Merlin's name would she mention that to me of all people?"

"Yeah you're right," Harry responded, "Well I'm off to work I'll probably be late, let Kreacher know not to hold dinner for me please."

"Will do," Draco closed the door behind Harry but then peered through the keyhole to watch him disapparate his mind turning with Ginny's words.


	18. Draco shares some interesting info

Draco got very little done that day, his mind kept drifting back to what Ginny had said that morning, then over all of his interactions with Harry since they had come into contact again. He tried to think of all of the conversations they had had. Nothing stuck out to him as any proof that Harry might be bisexual. Only his own personal interest in the possibility kept him distracted. Finally realizing he was going to get nothing done that day he decided it was time to get to know the neighborhood he was living in better so he took a walk. While out an idea occurred to him.

When Harry arrived home that evening Draco called out to him, "Change clothes if you want but don't get too comfortable. Actually you could probably just take off your Auror robes and wear whatever Muggle thing you have underneath. I'm taking us out for dinner."

"Why?"

"You've been kind enough to allow me to stay in your home, taking up space, not contributing anything. It's past time to show my appreciation. My mother would be mortified if she knew it had taken me this long. She'd show up on the doorstep herself to apologize to you for her son's horrid manners."

Harry came around the corner, "Are you sure you want to deal with the press if we're seen in public together?"

"You mean Auror Potter, Savior of the Wizarding World and Former Death Eater seen dining together, what's Malfoy done now? Has the Chosen One been Imperiused at last? That kind of thing?"

"Yeah, it could come back to bite you or be a problem for Scorpius."

"If we were going to a wizarding restaurant it might but we're not, and I highly doubt Rita Skeeter and her ilk will be at the corner pub."

Harry's eyes went wide, "Wait you're taking me to a Muggle place. You're eating at a Muggle place, voluntarily?"

"Potter it's been almost twenty years since the war and with everything else you know about me now you're surprised that I'm willing to eat in a Muggle establishment."

"I don't know but it does, though I suppose your clothing should have been a clue. I can't remember the last time I saw you not wear robes during the day, and I had no idea you owned a pair of denims."

"It took me a while to be comfortable in Muggle clothing but now I actually spend more time in denims than anything else when I'm home."

"So why haven't you been wearing them here?"

Draco looked Harry over, "Are you ready to go? We can talk on the way. I thought we'd walk it's not that far."

"And how is it you happen to know where to go to eat in this Muggle neighborhood?" Harry asked as they stepped out the door, "Oh and we should tell Kreacher what we're doing."

Draco shook his head as he laughed silently at Harry's continued concern for his house elf, "I already did. I explained that I was making up for my lack of manners, he was very approving."

"Naturally. I will never understand all of that Pureblood stuff."

"Be thankful you didn't have to spend your entire childhood memorizing list after list of rules for every possible social or business situation you might find yourself in. Though you probably would have preferred that to the childhood you had."

"I thought you hadn't read my biography."

Draco shrugged, "After you explained Al's middle name, I realized just how much I don't know about you. I always went on assumptions I'd made or those made by my father and what I'd observed of you at school, though those observations were clearly colored by my own myopic view. It was past time for me to get a more accurate view of you, and maybe a more accurate view of myself back then too. So I went looking for some information. I read a few things but not the biography though I did purchase it, by owl order of course didn't want to cause an uproar being seen buying it."

"You really don't think my view and opinions of you weren't just as skewed as yours were of me?" Harry asked, "If there was a book written about you by me from that time it would have been skewed."

Again a shrug in response, "Not nearly as skewed as if the book had been written from Weasley's point of view or Granger's and understandably so."

"Have you ever thought about writing your own autobiography or memoir?"

"And who would bother to read that?"

"I would."

"You'd be the only one."

Harry put his hand on Draco's arm, "Don't underestimate yourself. There are plenty of people who would want to read your story."

"Looking for dirt on me, for more things to throw in my face on the rare occasions I make my way into wizarding establishments, or to throw at my son, I don't think so."

"Think of it as a cautionary tale, a story of redemption. The fact that you went into healing alone could change some people's minds about you. That you've shunned the spotlight for so long could as well."

"And when I come out with it now?"

"It might make a great companion to your research on Purebloods and their secret family members."

"I still don't know that I'll publish that at least not openly. Here we are," he held the door open and let Harry enter first.

Once they were seated with menus in hand Harry spoke lowly, "How exactly did you find this place?"

"You didn't know it was here?"

Harry shook his head, "I've only been living back at Grimmauld for about six months and I didn't live there long before Ginny and I moved in together so I don't know the area well."

"I went for a walk this afternoon."

"Your research wearing you out?"

"Actually it was a comment your ex made. It distracted me so I went for a walk to clear my mind. I came across this place and a rather nice book shop as well."

"Her comments about your writing a book?"

"While that surprised me it wasn't what occupied my mind most. I've been spending all day trying to decide if I should tell you what she said because it really has more to do with you than me."

"I thought she didn't say anything to you about fixing me up with someone."

"She didn't, well maybe, no it wasn't quite that direct, except that it was."

"Malfoy you're making little to no sense. You want to maybe think before you speak? Maybe just tell me what she said."

Draco bit his lower lip and sat back in his seat, "I probably should explain something else first. When you asked the other night if Astoria was bothered that I was staying with you I told you we divorced, and that we married for our families but there was something I neglected to mention. It's something I keep mostly to myself and only my closest friends know, not because it's anything shameful, well unless you're a Pureblood expected to continue the family lines that is, then you catch hell for it from the first moment it becomes evident to your family if you can't hide it, just one of those things Bellatrix enjoyed torturing me over so much during those Occlumency lessons-."

"Draco, you're babbling," Harry broke in, "whatever it is, just say it already."

"I'm gay Potter. I would never have married any woman if I hadn't been forced to, as it is I'm glad I did or I wouldn't have my son and Astoria has become one of the best friends I've ever had but I'm gay and I probably should have told you that before taking up residence in your house, or at least when you gave me the opening by asking about my wife. I'm sorry I wasn't honest with you before."

Harry waved his hand dismissively, "Your personal preferences are just that yours, I don't need to know them. I can understand you keeping them quiet. I know the wizarding world seems to be more accepting of their LGBT members than many Muggle societies but yeah I can see how being Pureblood would make it tougher and I'm sure the press would have a field day with that. I'm assuming your son knows?"

"Yes, Scorpius is aware that I am bent, he also knows of his mother's strange predilection for Muggle men."

Harry choked on his water, "Astoria has a thing for Muggles?"

Draco laughed, "Yes, also not a popular thing with the Purebloods."

"I'd guess not. What does all this have to do with what Ginny said to you today?"

Draco shifted in his seat, more uncomfortable than Harry had ever seen him, "I'm honestly not sure I have the right to tell you this but I think you need to know what she said, what she thinks before she tells anyone else. You should know just what she's planning."

"Would you just spit it out already."

"Your ex-wife seems to think that you're partially bent."

"What?"

"She thinks you're bisexual."

Harry's mouth dropped, then he looked as if he were trying to speak but no words came out. He just stared at Draco. When the waiter came to their table he still couldn't speak so Draco ordered fish and chips for them both knowing Harry liked that. He also ordered asked for ales both of them and a shot of whiskey for Harry thinking he might need that to get him out of his stupor.

"Close your mouth Potter before the flies get in."

"Why… how... what? I don't..." Harry was truly at a loss for words.

"All I can tell you is she commented that when you went out places together that you seemed to be watching the blokes as much as she did and she didn't think it was you watching them as an auror."

"I don't, I've never, I...she…"

"Potter, take a deep breath and relax. Before your brain goes there let me assure you she doesn't think that what she perceives as your sexual preferences has anything to do with the end of your marriage."

"Why in bloody hell did she tell you this?" Harry whispered loudly and nearly furiously.

"She'd been to see Astoria, who'd found it necessary to share my preferences. The two of them seem to think that our mutual obsession over each other in school was in actuality based on attraction and not rivalry."

"You? She's trying to set me up with you? Has she lost her bloody mind?"

Draco rolled his eyes, "Thanks Potter."

"Yes because I'm saying that to insult you Malfoy. Not that you're not a fit bloke but," he paused when Draco's right eyebrow went skyward, "Oh stuff it! Just months, weeks ago even she was ranting and raving over having the kids meet up and being exposed to you and now she's trying to get us involved? It makes no sense beyond the fact that she suddenly seems to be under the impression that I'd be into men anyway, which also makes no sense."

"She's a woman newly in love. While I know little to nothing about the gender it seems to be a trend with them that they want everyone else they know to be deliriously happy when they are, though maybe that's just a factor of being in the human race because I've also known many men who were the exact same way."

"She insisted I be open when she left. Open to whomever my help me find happiness."

"Yeah."

"I didn't realize until just now she never said woman and female, she said who ever, and possibilities."

"Sounds about right, she was in hinting mode, trying to be subtle, mind you she's about as subtle as a Norwegian Ridgeback protecting its nest."

"She wanted you to do something right? Something to try to help me find my gay side?"

"Basically."

"And you decided to just tell me what she thought instead?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because it was the right thing to do. I may have been a Slytherin but even I know there are some things a person has to figure out on their own without pushing and prodding. Now it's out there for you to think about and deal with as you want and now you know what your somewhat conniving little ex is up to."

"Right, well then-"

Draco held up a hand, "Don't, we're not going to discuss it any further at least not tonight. Just let it go for now, think about it, and if at some point in the future you want to discuss it at all with someone else who might be able to identify then I'll listen, if not that's fine too. In the meantime it looks like our food is coming over, we can eat and talk about something else. I believe as we were leaving the house you were asking about my Mu- clothes," he finished as the waiter reached their table.

Harry nodded relieved to not have a conversation on his sexual preferences, things were awkward enough already but to defend his straightness would have only made things weirder and perhaps insulted Malfoy who was fast becoming a friend something Harry never would have predicted, "Yeah, when did you develop an affinity for denim?"

"When Tori and I were dating," Harry's eyes went wide as Draco actually made air quotes while saying dating and he bit his lip not to laugh, "we spent quite a bit of time in Muggle places to avoid the scrutiny and hate we would get in wizarding establishments. Can't go around in robes there, people tend to look at you as if you're a bit off. So I learned to wear Muggle clothes and found denims to be rather comfortable, especially when they're well worn."

"Wait you not only wear denims you wear old denims?"

"They're much softer after you've worn them for a while, of course I don't wear them once they have holes anywhere."

"Well naturally."

"Laugh all you want Potter but at least I don't look like I stepped out of a dustbin. Why is it you always wear clothes that look as if you've owned them your entire life and someone else wore them for a lifetime before that?"

"Probably because I do wear them until they're not worth wearing anymore."

Draco's lip twisted and head tilted, "You do realize many people would say that you wear them past when they're worth wearing anymore."

"People like you?"

"Did Ginevra really never say anything to you about how your clothes looked?"

"Not really."

"Hm, well I guess when you have a big family and money is tight clothes probably do get worn more than when you're fortunate enough to have more like I did."

"You say the strangest things sometimes."

"Strange?"

"Well strange for you, for who you were anyway. I know I know," Harry said as he held up a hand, "Twenty years. Still seeing as we've barely spoken in those two decades is it any wonder that I am sometimes shocked by the understanding and empathy with which you now speak."

Draco nodded, "Understandable but I'm looking forward to the day when you don't look at me funny for sounding like a reasonable human being."

"Me too, so anyway denims."

"Yes, well Tori and I spent quite a bit of time in Muggle clothing stores trying on different outfits…"

As Draco spoke Harry's mind wandered, not that he wasn't interested in how the man across from him who used to shun anything Muggle was now so comfortable in not only Muggle clothing but a Muggle restaurant and apparently with Muggle money but his mind just kept drifting to the ridiculous idea that he was bisexual. Ginny was clearly losing it. He'd never had any interest in men. Yes he watched people when they were out it was a byproduct of his job. She probably thought he only watched men because she paid so much attention to them. He continued eating and nodding along with what Draco was saying as his mind wondered. Then something happened that had him frozen.

He looked up from dragging his chips through the ketchup and vinegar on the plate to see that a lock of white blonde hair had fallen across Draco's forehead into his eyes, just before Malfoy himself brushed it back Harry had felt a near overwhelming urge to reach over and put the hair back in place. It wasn't just that he wanted to touch that hair, it was that the hair in question was covering those captivating silver eyes. _Captivating silver eyes? What the bloody hell am I thinking?_

"Potter?" Draco waved a hand in Harry's face, "You ok?"

"Yeah sorry I drifted away, just can't turn my brain off. I think I need some air."

"I'll get the cheque and pay, you go on out and wait. I can have them box up your leftovers."

Harry nodded, took the napkin from his lap and set it on the table next to his plate before sliding out of the booth and across to the door.

Draco watched him go wondering if he'd made the right decision.


	19. Harry obsesses

Harry was sitting on a low wall down the street from the pub when Draco emerged with takeaway boxes in hand. As the blond walked towards him he noticed for the first time, or maybe a second or third time how fit the man still was. Tall, thin, lanky, not too skinny but healthy, looking like he could still give Harry a run for his galleons in a game of Quidditch. Then mentally beating himself up for even thinking about how Malfoy looked. Was Ginny right? Was he bisexual and had just been so focused on her and then his job and the kids for so long he never noticed. Was it possible to be that oblivious to your own sexuality? He needed to ask someone else. Hermione, he'd have to find a time to talk to Hermione, and the sooner the better.

"I'm sorry," Draco said as he reached Harry, "I should have told you what Ginevra said at the house rather than in public."

Harry cocked his head to the left, "Why did you tell me in public? Trying to avoid a scene?"

Draco sat down next to him on the wall, "Not consciously."

"You can do something like that subconsciously?" Harry found that hard to believe.

"When you're raised with constant lessons on the right time and place for so many things to happen some of those things take hold and stick with you. I really didn't think about it much once I decided to tell you or I would have had Kreacher make dinner, but it's possible the idea of sharing what could be considered bad news in a public place to avoid a scene is just something ingrained in me, so I'm apologizing, it was rude. It's exactly what my father did when he insisted I get married and that he was on the lookout for someone for me. Thank Salazar I found Tori before he found anyone or I might still be stuck in some awful loveless marriage."

"You believe in love?"

Draco turned to look at Harry, "Don't you? Or did you not think I would?"

"I believe in love," Harry said, "I believed I was in love."

"And you think differently now?"

"No," he shook his head, "I think I was in love with Ginny at the beginning, but I think love takes work and we stopped working on it."

"You shouldn't have to work at love."

"Maybe not love but the relationship. If the relationship stops working the love fades, or at least it did for us," he turned finally to look at Draco, "Have you ever been in love?"

"No. I've been in mutual infatuations that sort of just drifted off. I've been in purely physical relationships but they're hardly fulfilling so I stopped that long ago. I had a case or two of unrequited crushes but never love that I could identify. I've seen it in friends but I've never experienced it myself. I'm not honestly sure I'd know what it was if it hit me."

"You'd know."

"How?"

Harry stood up and began walking back home, Draco followed, "You just would. I don't know. I can't really describe how it feels except that you feel for that person like you've never felt for anyone before. They're more important to you than anyone else, though I suppose now kids would take the top spot. You want them to be happy more than you want to be happy. Making them happy makes you happy," he sighed, "that all sounds so sappy."

"No," Draco replied, "It sounds wonderful."

They continued on walking in companionable silence. When they reached Grimmauld Place and Harry's home, Draco went past him down the hall with the boxes. Harry moved to go up the stairs but stopped for a moment and watched the other man walking away. He couldn't help but notice just how well those denims fit. _Definitely time to talk to Hermione._ He rushed up the stairs to send her an owl.

* * *

Harry was exceedingly happy the next day when Hermione came to talk to him that Ron had moved out into another office. This was not a conversation he wanted to have with his former best friend listening in.

"When did you last talk to Ginny?" he asked her after she sat down in the chair that used to belong to her husband.

"It's been a week or two maybe. Why?"

"She has this idea, and she told Draco and I'm wondering how many other people she's told. And I'm wondering if anyone else had the same idea. And I'm wondering if they're some validity to it."

"All right, maybe you should tell me what it is."

"She hasn't said anything to you about me?"

"Not since Christmas. Wait you said she told Draco something?" she asked leaning forward.

He nodded, "Yeah, she came over and we talked. She brought Oliver and he and I talked while she spoke with Draco. I have no idea what was said other than this one thing but she's ok with Lily staying the night even with him there so I guess it all worked out."

Hermione sat back, steepling her fingers in front of her mouth with her elbows on arms of the chair, "Very interesting, does Ron know this?"

"You'd know better than I would but I'd guess and say no."

"You're probably right I'm sure he would have either ended up in another uproar over it or he would be finding a way to come crawling back to you."

"Yes well maybe not if he hears what Ginny thinks."

"And what exactly does Ginny think?"

"First when we were in school did you ever think my obsession with Malfoy was anything other than a rivalry?"

"Well I did wonder for a while but then you went out with Cho, and then Ginny so that idea passed. Why? Does Ginny think you're gay? You were married for years, you have three children."

He shook his head, "There are gay people that have children with a mate of the opposite gender."

"Like Malfoy?"

His eyes went wide, as his jaw dropped, "How did you know?"

"Harry even when he wasn't watching and obsessing over you in school he was watching other blokes. I think for a while he had a relationship with Zabini, and maybe Nott."

"Then how can you be so surprised that Ginny might think I'm gay since we had kids? By the way she simply thinks I'm half bent. Oh and she and Astoria think Draco and I would make a great couple."

"I could see that."

"Hermione!"

"Well it's true," she shrugged, "If you're asking me if I thought or think you're bisexual I'd have to say I never thought about it. Then again I think I'm probably like most people and my perception is that people are usually gay or straight not bi, it's not like it's obvious. You date someone of the same gender you're considered gay, someone of the opposite gender and you're straight. People that date both I think many people see as confused. I imagine those of us that find ourselves only attracted to one gender just don't think of bi, it's hard to understand something you aren't and many people don't try. You watched Draco a lot so I wondered like I said but well.. I don't know. Why does Ginny think you're bi anyway?"

"Well she and Astoria apparently both feel that our mutual obsession in school was actually a cover for attraction," he cringed a bit, "she also said I watched blokes more than women when we used to go out."

"That's it?"

"Yes."

"That hardly seems like enough evidence to suggest someone's sexual preferences."

"That's what I thought."

"And then?"

"And then I started thinking."

"About what?"

"About Draco."

"What about Draco?"

He shook his head, "I don't know. He was telling me some story about when he and Tori were dating and starting to wear Muggle clothes and his hair fell in his face and I noticed it, and I noticed his eyes. Then I started thinking about how fit he is, and how well his denims fit him. Then I had a dream last night, and well, I just don't know."

"Well, well, well the Chosen One is a queer too huh? No wonder my sister dumped your arse, good riddance."

"Ronald Weasley-" Hermione began.

Harry put a restraining hand on her arm and spoke in a completely emotionless voice, "Get out Ron!"

Ron opened his mouth, Harry cut in, "Ten seconds and I let your wife loose to have at you here at work rather than waiting until you get home and then I'll be sure to tell everyone I'm on her side."

Ron huffed then turned and nearly ran in the opposite direction jumping when the stinging jinx hit his backside.

Harry laughed ruefully and shook his head, "Well I guess that's that. I should get back to work. Thanks for coming to talk to me Hermione."

She put her hand on his shoulder, "Harry, you know you can call me anytime. Don't go making any drastic decisions though ok, give yourself time to think first. You noticing things about Draco could have just been the power of suggestion."

"I will. I'd already thought the same thing. I also know just noticing how fit a bloke is doesn't mean I'm attracted to him or willing to have a relationship with him; it's not automatically the same thing," he said as he patted her hand then turned back to his desk, "Speaking of drastic decisions, don't do anything about Ron now, don't risk getting in any trouble here at work. Wait til you're home, and if you need to you can send Hugo over to our place."

Her eyebrow raised at our place but she said nothing just nodded, "Thanks. I know enough not to get into it here. The whole Ministry doesn't need to know what an idiot my husband is being."

* * *

Draco was out when Harry arrived home that evening so he had dinner alone then sat by the fire with a glass of firewhiskey in his hand. His mind wandered through the years and as he thought he began to recall various instances where he and Ginny were out somewhere and he pointed someone out to her as he made an observation. Usually it was a bloke, had that really been his auror training or was it something more? He wanted to say his ex-wife was simply nutters but she had lived with him for years, she had known him better than anyone else for years, maybe she was on to something but how would he know for sure. He supposed he could ask someone on a date and see how it went but if he wasn't attracted to the person it wouldn't really answer the question would it. He could ask Draco but he thought that that was probably crossing the line in a relationship that had become pleasant. He didn't want to use Draco to find out if he was bisexual, but he had to find out somehow, or did he? He'd been happy with Ginny. He could certainly find happiness with another woman. He shook his head this would bother him too much. He knew that at least. He was never one to let niggling thoughts lie. He had to work things out, come to a conclusion.

He was still sitting and ruminating when Draco came home. He didn't even hear the blonde until he stood next to him and took the firewhiskey from his hand and drank it.

"That was mine."

"Oh, well since you were sitting here just holding it and not drinking I thought you had poured it for me."

"Prat."

"Git."

"What are we, eleven again?"

"You do act that way sometimes. You're sitting here in the near dark obsessing aren't you."

"Obsessing about what?"

Draco shook his head, and sighed, "As I said sometimes you act eleven. Really Potter?"

Harry looked up at him, "I'm not obsessing, I'm just thinking."

"And the difference would be?"

"I...I...well…"

"Have you thought about anything else while you've sat here?"

"No."

"Have you thought about anything else today?"

"I did go to work."

"And while you were there were you concentrating on work?"

Harry began to nod his head then stopped and shook it instead.

"That's a fairly normal reaction I would think to questioning one's sexuality."

"Did you obsess over it?"

Draco twisted his lips and cocked his head before sitting down in the chair across from Harry, "Not about being bent, but about my parents finding out. I knew early on I was into blokes. I didn't have to figure it out I just knew, but I did have to figure out how and when to tell my parents," he grimaced.

"I take it, it didn't go well."

"Considering I never got a chance to tell them, no."

"But they know. You said your dad forced you to marry a woman and have an heir."

Draco nodded, "They know but I wasn't the one to tell them."

"Who was?"

"I don't know. I never found out. Someone had sent my parents a letter about my relationship with Blaise."

"A letter, you could have denied that though, unless you didn't want to."

"I don't know if I would have or not. I wasn't given the choice, there was a, well a picture included in the letter."

Harry's eyebrows went skyward, "A picture?"

"Not like that you dolt," Draco sneered, "we were just snogging, but it was rather intense."

"And you never noticed a flash?"

"We were outside."

"Oh."

"Mother took it better than I expected, though she didn't say anything in front of Lucius. He ranted and raved and railed at me about finding a good Pureblood woman and settling down, how I wouldn't embarrass him, I would do my duty to my family. Later that evening Mother came to find me and said she didn't care who I loved she'd always love me, and that I could always adopt a child. Come to think of it I guess I should have taken that as a sign that she didn't follow the same ideals as Lucius or her parents. She was just as supportive when Astoria and I told her we were divorcing. Mother told us both to find someone we truly loved to share our lives with."

"But neither of you has," Harry commented.

Draco shrugged, "I'm not sure Tori ever will since she's into Muggles and I just don't know how that would work."

Harry nodded, "It's always seemed to me that that would be the main reason to find someone in the wizarding community to marry, not the keep it pure but the fact that unless you have a child accepted to Hogwarts you have to keep half of your life or more a secret. I can't imagine living life that way."

"If I hadn't found Tori I might have had to live my life that way."

Harry worried his bottom lip for a bit before replying, "Guess it's a good thing Lucius didn't get his way."

Draco laughed roughly, "I would have ended up thoroughly disgusting him because I probably would have gone looking for Muggle men."

"You?" Harry bit back a laugh but could only hold it for a few seconds before it came bubbling out of him. Draco shook his head attempting to hold a look of disdain on his face before he too dissolved into laughter. When they finally stopped laughing Harry stood and grabbed the firewhiskey filing the glass in Draco's hand and getting a new glass for himself.

The two sat in the chairs on either side of the fireplace facing one another, sipping their drinks and just enjoying the companionship and studying the other. Draco caught something flit across Harry's face briefly as he looked away and over the tapestry. He waited for the question to come, only it didn't. Finally he could wait no longer, "Ask," he said calmly.

Harry's eyes widened, "Ask what?"

"Whatever it is you're thinking."

"No."

Draco took a drink then said, "Just ask."

"NO…I can't...it's...no" Harry shook his head.

Draco sighed and leaned his head back, "Really Potter I thought you were a Gryffindor, you know brave courageous and all that."

"Fine, you experience no attraction to women at all right?"

"Yes."

"So how did you… how did you and Tori...how did you have Scorpius?"

"Well that was not the question I was expecting."

"Then don't answer, it's none of my business after all."

"No you asked and I imagine you'll be amused at the answer," Draco said as he sat forward, resting his elbows on his legs, glass held loosely between his knees, "It was all Tori's idea actually."


	20. alternate birds and bees

" _Draco we need to talk darling," Tori called out as he came in the door._

 _Knowing she had spent the afternoon with her mother he dreaded where this conversation might lead but he went into the sitting room like the dutiful husband he was supposed to be. However maybe he could delay just a bit._

 _He crossed to his wife sitting with her feet curled up next to her on the settee. She raised her face for his kiss on her cheek as she set the book she had been reading aside._

" _How was your day?" she asked._

 _He moved and sat in his favorite armchair. "As well as can be expected when I'm spending it with Lucius going over the family accounts. Fortunately I was able to have tea with Mother alone and relax for a bit. How was your visit with your mother?"_

 _She rolled her eyes and copied his phrasing, "As well as can be expected when I'm spending the day as the dutiful Pureblood daughter."_

 _He took a deep breath and broached the subject as much as he didn't want to it was better to get it over with, "Children?"_

 _She simply nodded._

" _Me too."_

" _Lucius or Cissa?"_

" _Both, though Lucius is more emphatic about carrying on the Malfoy line. Mother just wants a grandchild to spoil."_

 _She brushed off her skirt idly as she replied, "It's the same with my parents. I think we really must get started. We've already purchased the house in France from your mother so we can move any time. Neither of us needs to work so we don't have to worry about jobs. All that's left is conception."_

 _Draco tried desperately to hold in the revulsion that he felt at just the thought of sex with his wife, but a grimace was clear on his face nonetheless._

 _Astoria laughed, "Darling really?"_

 _His cheeks glowed as he ducked his head, "I'm sorry Tori. You are a lovely woman but-"_

" _But you are wholeheartedly a dick man; tits and fanny turn you off completely."_

" _Well yes. And I'm not exactly your type either."_

" _That's true," she giggled._

" _So what are we going to do?"_

" _I'm taking that question to mean you don't think you can just fantasize about your dream man and we can do the deed."_

 _He considered for a moment, then fought to hold back a shudder, "I think the differing parts would be distracting, you do have quite the pair of breasts dear."_

" _You could always take me from behind."_

 _Again he fought to hold back a shudder, "It might work. But why do I have a feeling that you just want to be able to brag that you're the only woman I've slept with?"_

 _This time her head threw back in laughter loud enough to rouse the previously sleeping portrait. Draco quickly cast a muffliato and silencio on the portrait._

 _She wiped tears from her eyes, "You've figured me out dearest. Being your one and only female would be quite a feather in my cap."_

" _Yes well we could try," a thought occurred to him raising one eyebrow, "You could drink some Polyjuice Potion and actually be my dream man."_

" _And at the same time you could be my dream man."_

" _I could," he said slowly._

" _What? You hate to give up your Malfoy good looks for even just a bit?"_

" _No, I was just thinking I've never heard anything about what happens to genitalia when someone drinks Polyjuice to appear as a member of the opposite gender or to the reproductive tract. We might be unable to conceive that way."_

" _In other words, you don't want to try it."_

" _For both of our safety and the goal we have in mind I don't believe it is a good plan no."_

 _She sat up tall, shaking her head, "The goal we have in mind?" Her left eyebrow went skyward, "There's the Malfoy pompousness. Relax darling I have a solution that will keep us out of bed."_

" _Do tell, you've found some magical way to conceive?"_

" _No quite the opposite actually."_

" _Something Muggle?"_

 _She nodded, "I've been thinking about this for a while but today was the last straw so I stopped by a Muggle library on my way home and did some research," she held up a hand, "before you ask the library is a wonderful place to meet men. Anyway, there are ways of conceiving a child without having sex. We would have to go to a Muggle doctor, healer, and obviously they can't know about our magic but that should be easy enough to conceal. The procedures I read about are usually reserved for those that are incapable of having a baby on their own, however I think if we present ourselves with our real story-"_

" _Forced by our parents to marry and provide an heir that we do want but as I'm gay unwilling to do it the natural way?"_

" _Exactly. I think if we tell them that and prove we can pay for the procedures we should be fine."_

" _All of the magic around us here daily won't cause issues?"_

" _Like it does with electronics?"_

" _Yes."_

" _I don't think so. From what I understand once we leave the doctor's office it's all up to my body just as it would be naturally."_

" _Could you show me the research you did? I'd like to read through it before we make a decision."_

" _I knew you'd say that," she flicked her wand sending a stack of papers towards her husband, then she stood, walked over to him, brushed his cheek with a kiss and left the room, "When you've read through this and come to the same conclusion I have I'll be waiting."_

 _He sat forward in his chair and began to read._

"IUI or IVF?" Harry asked.

Draco's faced registered none of the surprise he felt, "I thought you were fairly sheltered when you were living with your Muggle relatives."

"I was, but the only thing my aunt loved more than spoiling my cousin and hounding me was gossip. She routinely leaned over the hedge chatting with the neighbors, twisted the phone cord up wandering the house talking, she gossiped with the postmen, the milkmen, anyone she knew even a bit. There were at least a few occasions I overheard discussions of someone or another that wasn't able to have a baby on their own and needed help, which was of course such a shame but proved they just weren't right."

"Ah a society type."

"Without actually being society, yes."

"We didn't actually end up going to the Muggle doctor."

"So you-"

"NO!" the blond shuddered.

Harry laughed, "Women really do repulse you don't they?"

"Not women no, just the parts that are different from men."

"Uh huh."

"I'll have you know some of my best friends are women."

"You just don't want them to touch you."

"Well, yes."

"And you don't want to touch them."

"Not like that no, thanks."

"So how did you do it?"

"You really want to know."

"I wouldn't ask if I didn't but if you don't want to share…"

"No, I'll tell you. Well I'll tell you what I know anyway. There are some details I don't know and don't want to know."

"Ok then."

" _Draco darling what are you so engrossed in?"_

" _Just a slight alternative to our conception options. Have you any idea what a turkey baster is?"_

" _No."_

" _Look in the sack there," he said somewhat distractedly gesturing across the table._

 _She peeked cautiously into the sack, then reached in and pulled out the turkey baster, holding it up and looking at it curiously, "Well while I can see that it is most definitely phallic in shape what on earth could this thing possibly have to do with us making a baby?"_

 _He turned to face her, "I read all of the information you gave me, then I went to do some further research on my own. I'm not outright rejecting the idea of using a Muggle healer but it appears we can use that," he pointed to the implement in her hand, "to accomplish the same thing the doctor will try first. If that doesn't work after a few months we can make an appointment and try something more invasive."_

" _So how does this work?" she waved the baster in his face causing him to jerk back suddenly._

" _Don't...I… here read this," he attempted to shove a small pamphlet into her unoccupied hand._

 _She pulled back with a smirk, "Oh I'd much rather hear you explain it."_

" _If I must."_

" _Oh you must," though she did her level best to suppress it he could still hear the mirth in her voice._

" _You might as well sit down then," he waved his wand to push a chair back from the table, she sat continuing the hold the turkey baster peering at him questioningly._

" _Essentially we do an insemination at home with the baster."_

" _And how exactly does that work?"_

 _He took a deep breath, "I wank into a clean, no not just clean, a sterile cup or bowl. The semen is then drawn up into that thing, which also has to be sterilized, you then insert it into your… your vagina and deposit the semen as close to your cervix as you can, but you have to do it slowly, then at least one of the sets of instructions I saw said that you should attempt to attain orgasm but that is optional I think because I did only see it once. You do need to stay lying down for a bit to allow the sperm to get where they need to go."_

" _You really did do your research didn't you?"_

" _Why so shocked?"_

" _You may have become more comfortable with going to Muggle places with me but this means you had to go by yourself. I'm proud of you Draco."_

 _He ducked his head, "Change can be difficult but when you have the right motivation…"_

" _I'm not sure if I should be happy or insulted that your motivation is not sleeping with me."_

 _He put a hand on her arm, "Darling don't think of it that way. My motivation is for us to have a child. I want to be a father, even if the idea nearly scares me to death."_

 _She didn't ask why the idea of being a father scared him considering all of the things he had seen and lived through during the war, she simply nodded and replied, "You have to remember the good times you had with Lucius as a child. You have to remember the things he did that you didn't like, any pressure he put on you and don't do those things. I think you are going to be a great father, no better than that I think you will be a wonderful dad."_

" _As long as I have you to help me stay on track, I think I'll to alright."_

 _She laughed, "Like you'd ever settle for less than you very best. So when do we do this? And where did you find all of this information?"_

" _There are ovulation predictor kits in that other sack we do this when they say to, and though you probably won't believe it I went to a Muggle library just like you did. I watched some of them for a while use the computer and the internet then I did a search for myself. It took a few days. Then it took a few more days to find the right shops to get the things we need."_

" _Give me what you printed out and then."_

" _So you agree with trying this method first before going to a doctor?"_

" _Let me read this first to be sure, and perhaps do a bit of internet searching myself but yes this sounds like something we could try."_


	21. How did you know

"So it worked?" Harry asked.

"Not the first time. It actually took a few months, but just as we were about to give up and go to a Muggle doctor she found out she was pregnant."

"Did you ever consider having another child?"

"We discussed it. It's quite obvious to anyone who ever knew me that I was a very spoiled only child."

"You? Spoiled? No not at all," Harry deadpanned.

"Funny Potter, funny," Draco drawled dryly resisting the urge to roll his eyes or shake his head..

"Sorry couldn't resist," Harry grinned.

"Anyway, Tori pointed out that she and Daphne were equally spoiled and they don't exactly get along. Never really have but as Daphne still tows the Pureblood line they really stopped speaking except at family events. Anyway Scorpius began to make friends in our little village in France and while our parents spoiled him-"

Harry sighed, "As is a grandparents' prerogative and seeming goal in life."

"Quite. Anyway we decided one child was enough for us."

Harry cocked his head to one side, "You didn't want to bring up another child with the Malfoy name did you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You've said you were worried about what Scorp would go through being a Malfoy, you didn't want to do that to another child as well did you?"

Draco shrugged, "I suppose that was part of it."

"Very noble of you I'd say," Harry replied.

This time Draco did shake his blond head but just a bit, "Strange, I'd call it selfish."

"And I'd say it's rather the opposite, it would have been selfish to keep having children just because you wanted them when you knew what life might be like for them."

"Are you trying to butter me up for some reason?" The blond's right eyebrow nearly disappeared into the hair hanging over his forehead.

"What?" Harry asked in near innocence.

"You're being awfully kind and complimentary."

"I thought we had become friends in the last few months, friends do compliment one another you know."

"Yeah they also regularly take the piss out of each other."

"Draco you're too suspicious," the brunette insisted.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing."

Draco just raised an eyebrow and waited.

Harry dropped his gaze to his hands, chewing the inside of his cheek before finally responding, "I was just curious, how did you know you were bent?"

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. How did you know you were bent? Did you always know or was there some clue?"

"You're starting to think about what Ginny said?"

"Did you think I wouldn't?"

"No I knew you would, I just thought it would take you longer. I honestly thought you'd go into a state of vigorous denial first."

"Thanks so much."

The blond raised one hand palm up and shrugged, "So have you told Hermione?"

"How did you know?"

"Well you're not on good terms with the Weasel, not that I think you'd go to him anyway. You'd be more likely to go back to your ex-wife or possibly one of her other brothers."

Harry shook his head, "No," he said emphatically.

"Then Hermione it would have to be, so what did she say?"

"She said she could see it."

"That's all?" Draco queried "I find that hard to believe."

Harry shifted uncomfortably in his chair, "Well, Ron came in."

"And overheard?"

Harry merely nodded.

"Ah ha, so in other words there was a veritable shitestorm in your office."

"How did you know it was my office?"

"Either yours or hers, can't imagine you'd risk going to their house. I'd say you probably weren't exceptionally welcome there before."

"And certainly won't be now," Harry sighed.

"Does he really not understand that your sister is happy now, that she's moved on?"

"I think he might have come around to that eventually."

"But not now."

The messy brown haired head shook.

"If he can't accept you for who you are or might be, if he can't accept that your marriage to his sister didn't work out and that it wasn't all your fault, if he can't accept that she has moved on and is happy, you're better off without him in your life."

"I know that."

"But you're worried about losing Hermione too?"

"No, not really."

"Good because I was going to say you shouldn't, I can't imagine she would let anyone tell her who she could or couldn't associate with."

Harry laughed ruefully, "Not likely."

Draco stood, crossed to the side table and filled his glass; he then held it up swirling it, looking at the amber glaze up the sides with the firelight behind, took a drink, then turned back to Harry.

"It hurts to lose your best friend, worse than losing your wife doesn't it?"

Harry leaned forward, elbows on his knees, hands over his face, glasses slid up on top of his head. He sat that way for only a moment before rubbing the heels of his hands into his eyes. A long deep sigh escaped his lips but that was his only response.

Draco leaned back against the side table, "That thought is rather revealing about the state of your marriage and yet you're stuck on losing your best friend."

Harry's hands dropped to his sides as he turned to gaze at the blond, "How is it you can read me so well?"

"How many years did we spend studying each other instead of our schoolwork?"

"Too many," Harry replied simply, "Actually I was just thinking about that."

"Wondering if your obsession with me was more than just trying to stop me from whatever evil thing I was concocting at the time."

It was a statement not a question. Harry thought for a moment before replying, "So you watched me for more than just to figure out how to annoy me? You were attracted to me?" Harry was agog at the mere thought.

Draco quickly swallowed the firewhiskey in his glass and turned back to slowly refill it answering while his back was turned, "Yes, I fancied you. That damned messy hair, those always crooked glasses, your sloppy inn tucked shirt, your robes that looked like you'd slept in them, the way you sat on a broom, the way you chewed your lip without even realizing it when you were thinking hard about something, that damned suspicious look on your face every time I caught you looking at me when you thought I wasn't looking. You drove me crazy."

"That's why you hated me."

Draco shook his head, hands down on the table, on either side of his glass, "I never hated you. Oh I certainly intensely disliked you, but hate no. You were above all else the one bloke I could never have, could never even approach for so many reasons and yet you were always there. I had my family obligations and well let's be honest when Voldemort first returned I fully believed in his cause. I supported it and couldn't wait to be part of it," he grew quiet, "well you know the rest. Before all that though… you asked when I first knew I was bent. I don't remember ever not knowing. Girls, women just never attracted me. Oh they were good friends, still are but I never had the inkling that so many of the other blokes seemed to have to get my hand up a shirt or a skirt. From the first time a discussion turned to girls in our dorm room Blaise and I were quiet, it wasn't long after when we were alone in the room that he asked me if I was bent too. I didn't know the word, it was certainly never one I'd heard in my home, but I still knew what he meant and so I just nodded. We didn't talk about it. And it was a few years before we did anything, tried snogging or anything. To be honest while I did find him attractive I think I went along with it more to get you out of my head than anything else."

"That's why you picked on me so much too isn't it? Those stupid Potter Stinks badges?"

Draco laughed quietly, "I was pretty proud of those. What better way to distract everyone including myself from my growing attraction to you. It worked on everyone but Blaise who was knew better. Actually I probably have him to blame for my seeming inability to beat you to the Snitch."

"Umm, I think I'm almost afraid to ask how."

"Almost?" Draco peered over his shoulder turning only halfway.

Harry shook his head and laughed, "Oh just tell me, you know you want to."

"And if I don't the curiosity will drive you mad won't it?"

"Most likely."

It was Draco's turn to laugh as he turned to fully face Harry once again leaning back on the side table, "Blaise was the one that pointed out to me just how delicious your arse looked as you sat on your broom. No thanks to him pointing that out I was often rather distracted when we played. I knew I needed to get the Snitch; I wanted to get it and to win but your arse on that broom was a distraction. I would find myself staring at it rather than looking for the Snitch."

Harry looked a bit confused, "You could see my arse when I was flying? What about my Quidditch robes?"

Draco rolled his eyes, "The robes flew out behind you when you were flying. I didn't always like you, rarely ever liked you to be honest but I couldn't seem to fight the attraction. If I managed to avoid it and you during the day it came back to me at night."

"You had dreams about me," Harry said quietly.

Draco looked at him and nodded.

Harry looked at the floor, took a deep breath and spoke once again quietly, scarcely loud enough to be heard, "I dreamed of you last night."

Draco fought back shock and exhilaration, "I take it from your tone it was not the same nightmare you've had of our encounter in the loo sixth year."

"No, though it did start the same way. I followed you and found you there in Myrtle's bathroom crying. You spotted me in the mirror and turned wand up. I held up mine and dropped it on the floor. You lowered yours. Slowly I walked up to you and you turned away, head down. When I reached you I put my hand under your chin and moved your head so that you were facing me. I wiped the tears from your cheeks. We stood staring into one another's eyes for I have no idea how long. Myrtle for once was nowhere in sight or hearing distance, it was just the two of us. One of us, I'm not sure which stepped closer to the other, we were just suddenly standing chest to chest kissing...kissing long and deep our arms wrapped around each other. You had one hand in my hair, my glasses got knocked askew. You pulled back and looked at me for a moment before spinning us around and down the wall so that you had my back pressed up against it. Your hands were on either side of me, mine were flat against the wall and you kissed me again hard…" Harry trailed off.

Draco closed his eyes, swallowing hard, did his best to breathe slowly and try to calm his pulse. He dared not move a muscle or open his eyes to so much as glance at Harry. Then he heard it, a slight rustling as Harry stood and stepped closer to him. Soon he could feel the other man's breath on his face.

"Draco," Harry said in a low voice, "Draco look at me."

The blond did as he was asked and found himself looking down into bright green eyes looking up at him with hesitation and yearning. Almost without thinking Draco took a step closer to Harry and found himself reaching up to run his hand through Harry's hair. The brunette's eyes drifted close as he leaned into the blond then the Floo flared to life and the two jerked apart just as a trunk hit the floor.


	22. a long overdue apology

Harry groaned inwardly when a little ginger head popped through the fireplace and ran past them running up the stairs dragging the trunk calling back "Hey Uncle Harry, Mom says she'll be right here. I'm taking Al's room and she'll be in Lily's."

Both men's eyes widened as yet another trunk thunked onto the floor and they could hear what seemed to be muffled yelling. Harry stepped towards the fireplace as Draco stepped back just as Hermione stepped through and turned to extinguish the flames.

Barely controlled fury made her voice tight as she said, "Harry, block that right now. Block Ronald the Rat-bastard Weasley from that Floo right now!"

The brunette's jaw dropped at her words.

"Harry," she said again, "I can't do it or I would, so help me I love you but I'll hex you if you don't block that Floo right now."

Draco stepped between the two hands full, "Here Harry use my wand. Hermione you look as if you could use this," he handed her a freshly filled glass of firewhiskey.

She promptly upended the glass drinking it all in one go as Harry turned with Draco's wand and wordlessly cast a ward keeping Ron from using the Floo.

"Thank you Draco I did need that. I have to apologize for bursting in on you both and dragging Hugo along but if I had to spend another minute in that house with that supercilious areshole of a husband of mine I was going to end up arrested for assault of an auror."

The two men looked at one another but both wisely said nothing.

"Maybe we should all sit down and have another drink," Draco suggested, "or actually I'll take your trunk up to Lily's room and be sure she left it clean after the last time she was here and leave you two alone to talk. I can check in on Hugo if you'd like. He shot through here fairly quickly."

"Oh you don't need to leave, there's nothing I have to tell Harry that you can't hear."

"No really you should be allowed time alone to talk. I'll come back down in a bit," with that he took his wand back from Harry and with a swift flick had the trunk following him out of the room and up the stairs.

Hermione watched this with interest, "He really feels right at home here doesn't he?"

"And why shouldn't he?" Harry nearly snapped.

She looked at him for a moment, "No need to get defensive. You really have become friends with him haven't you? That's honorable and admirable of both of you."

Harry shook his head, "Really it's not, we just finally grew up. So what happened with Ron? I'll hazard a guess and say I'm to blame."

"No," she sighed, "no it's not you, it's the same thing it always is. Ron's just too damned hardheaded for his own good. Always convinced that what he thinks is right. He left the office this afternoon and apparently went to commiserate with Ginny, his poor baby sister married for so long to a liar, a bent liar. Turns out George was there with her and both of them gave him an earful and sent him on his way which turned out to be home. I was there already with Hugo making supper when Ron came in fuming and griping. I just can't deal with it. I have no idea how he ended up so incredibly intolerant."

"And blind to the obvious," Harry said.

She looked at him bewildered for a moment before understanding dawned on her face, "Ah yes Charlie. Everyone else knows Charlie is bent without his ever saying anything. In all this time he has still never brought his partner with him to a holiday. Ronald in is idiocy still believes that the man is merely Charlie's business partner."

Harry shook his head and chuckled, "Meantime the rest of us send the two of them Christmas cards and gifts as the couple they are, and tell them that they're more than welcome to all come visit as a family any time they want."

"And most everyone has been to visit them at their place in Romania and met their children, the two kids Ron still believes that Rick adopted when another dragon handler died and that since Charlie has such a big house he's just letting them live there and helping him raise the kids because he just hasn't found the right woman yet."

"He's in some serious deep denial. When we were young I would never have figured him to be the brother that was the least tolerant."

She nodded, "Percy, Percy is the one we all would have thought would be prejudiced. But it was Percy who helped Rick and Charlie complete the adoption."

"Ron sees what he wants, as he always has. He often misses the obvious because it's not what he expects or wants to see. It's one of the things that has held him back in the Auror office."

"Well I won't have Hugo exposed to his rantings. If and when he gets his head on straight we'll go home. Until then…" she trailed off as she looked around the room taking in the low lights, the empty glasses, the half empty snifter of whiskey, and the chairs sitting comfortable in front of the fireplace. Her eyes went wide, "Oh my… Oh no… Oh Harry I'm so sorry." She jumped to her feet, "I'll go get Hugo and we'll go to my parents' place."

Harry's head was spinning, "What? Why?"

"You'll do no such thing," Draco said calmly from the doorway, "At least not tonight. Sit down and relax."

"But-" she began.

He held up a hand, "No, no arguments. You're both here; you're staying here for the night. Harry you might want to go look at Lily's room, it's bit of a mess. Rather a disaster area. I'm sure you don't want to wake Kreacher so why don't you go see if you can figure out where her things should go. I'll keep Hermione company."

Harry stood and looked back and forth between his two friends before nodding his head and heading up the stairs.

Hermione stood just looking at Draco, watching him move into the room, grab a glass, pour in a few fingers of whiskey, and drink it down quickly. It was when he turned back around to face her that she finally spoke, "You don't want to be alone with him."

"I have enough regrets in my life. I don't want to add to them. I also don't need to add heartbreak."

"You love him," she said quietly.

"I did once," he admitted, "or at least I was infatuated with him."

"And you're falling for him again."

He looked over his shoulder into the hallway before nodding and saying, "My damned ex-wife and his and their ideas. It was bad enough when Ginny suggested it to me but once I told him and he started thinking about it, really thinking about it. I just don't want to be his experiment to find out if she's right and get emotionally invested then he decides he'd rather have a woman after all."

Hermione stepped closer to him, putting her hand on his arm, "He'd never hurt you on purpose you know."

"I know that but I think that would make it even worse. Though in all honesty considering what I've done to him, to you, it's no less than I deserve."

Now she stepped back, looking up at him head cocked, eyes slightly squinted, "Draco it's been almost twenty years. You can't seriously still be beating yourself up about choices you made before you were even of age."

"Not everything I did was before I was of age. And when what I did nearly twenty years ago still impacts my son on an almost daily basis how can I not?"

She sighed, turned and walked over to take a seat once again, "What does it say about our society that children are being punished for the sins of their fathers, or mothers?"

"And is it any better that we hold children to the standards set by their parents, judge them by their parents accomplishments?" Draco asked.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Al?"

He nodded.

She sighed again, "I knew he'd have a harder time than James. James is just so much more like carefree, much more like his namesake from what we know. Albus is much more introspective. How does Scorpius say he's handling it?"

"So far he's ok. There have been tough days but it seems to help that according to Scorp, Al is a better student than his father was. He must have gotten his mother's intelligence."

She smirked, "Harry's not dumb, but if he's not interested in the topic then he doesn't try. Al is more like Rose they like to learn for learning's sake."

"Like you."

"Are you not that way yourself?"

He shrugged, "I'm more like Harry I guess in that I enjoy learning about what I want to learn about. I only got good marks because it was expected. It was bad enough I didn't have the top marks in the class. If I'd slacked off it would have been much worse."

"Like Harry huh? It seems you two have a lot in common."

He shook his head, "Are we back to that?"

She smiled gently, "You need to talk to him."

He nodded, "I know but not now, not yet. Right now," he crossed the room and sat in the chair across from her, "I need to talk to you."

"Me? About Harry?" she asked.

"No," he hesitated.

"Draco, what is it?"

He stood suddenly and strode to the window, "I've never had the chance, never took the time, really never made it a priority, but now that our children are friends, and since I've been living here in Harry's house, and especially now that you're here, it seems the time has finally come and-"

"Draco, what in Merlin's name are you talking about?" Hermione asked.

"What?" he turned.

"You're rambling," came the voice from the doorway, "you never ramble." Harry came into the room.

"Rambling?"

"Nearly babbling incoherently," Harry said, "that's not you. You are always direct and to the point. What is it you're trying to say?"

Hermione stood, "No, if it's that difficult to say don't push him. Draco whatever it is you don't need to-"

"I'm sorry!" he interjected, then took a deep breath and continued, "I'm sorry for everything I did to you back at school before and during the war. I'm sorry for calling you Mudblood. I'm sorry for making fun of the lot of you. I'm most sorry for standing by and watching as Bellatrix tortured you. I should have done something to stop her. I should have distracted her somehow. I should have helped you all instead of standing there frozen. I'm sorry for cornering you in the Room of Hidden Things. I'm sorry I brought Vincent into the room. I should have run for it given the first chance."

"Draco," Harry began then stopped, looking at Hermione unsure of what else to say.

"I," she looked at Harry, then back to the blond sitting in the seat across from her with his head down looking at the floor rather than looking at her.

"I," she began again only to be interrupted by Draco who stood and rushed to the door turning at the last moment to speak.

"I'm not asking for forgiveness mind you I only wanted to apologize," he spoke hurriedly then turned and rushed up the stairs ignoring the shouts from the two he left behind.


	23. new nightmare

"Draco," Harry called and move to follow the blond up the stairs, stopping when Hermione called out his name.

"Harry, let him go."

"But he needs to talk."

"Or maybe he just needs time right now."

Harry shook his head, "No, I should follow him and talk to him. If I don't he'll bottle it all up again. I have to get him to talk now," with that he took off up the stairs two at a time.

Hermione sat back in the chair crossing her right leg over her left at the knee, left arm over her stomach, resting her right elbow on the crossed arm, with her chin in her right hand, index finger tapping her lips as she considered all that had just transpired.

Only a few moments later Harry returned to the room, "I was too late. He won't talk to me. He's in his room with the door locked and won't even answer me when I call him. Blast! Now he'll bottle this all up again."

Hermione sat forward slowly interlacing her fingers as they wrapped around her right knee, "Harry come sit down. I think maybe we need to talk about a few things."

He stood in the doorway looking between her and the stairs.

"Harry, he's clearly not going to talk to you, come sit down."

He sighed and did as she asked.

"We were rather rudely interrupted when you were telling me about noticing Draco this afternoon. You left off after saying you were noticing how well his denims fit and that you'd had a dream about him."

"That's all there was really," he replied.

"That may be all you had to say about his appearance and a possible developing physical attraction to him but what about how you feel about him."

"What do you mean how I feel about him. He's my friend!"

"Well that's a start," she said.

"Hermione what are you talking about?"

"You called Draco a friend. He's not just someone living here in your home. He's not just the father of your middle child's best friend. He's not just an old enemy/nemesis, or even old school mate. He's a friend."

He nodded once, "Ok I grant you that is odd. I never thought I'd see the day when I'd call Draco sodding Malfoy a friend, but he is. Come to think of it I'm not even sure how or when that happened."

"You've been sharing this house for months there really were only two options: you would drive each other mad and one of you would come out hexed or in magical handcuffs or you would somehow find your way to if not friendship then companionable civility."

"Companionable civility?" he raised an eybrow and chuckled.

"Harry," she sighed, "don't try to change the subject."

"I'm not sure I could if I wanted to as I'm not exactly sure what the subject is."

"You have feelings for Draco," she said simply.

"He's my friend," Harry repeated.

She shook her head and fought the urge to sigh once again, "Harry even you are not truly this dense. You're starting to notice a possible physical attraction but you also care about him. You care about his feelings. You rushed out of here up the stairs after him like you would someone you love."

"Or like I would a friend," he insisted, "if it were you rushing off up the stairs upset I'd follow you too."

"Yes you would. You're a good friend."

"You are too."

She shook her head, unsure of what to say next to try and get through to Harry what she was trying to say, finally deciding she wasn't going to get anywhere that evening she told him she was tired and that it was time to go to bed she'd see him in the morning. He sat for a few moments longer before taking the stairs to his own room.

* * *

Screaming and yelling from down the hall woke Harry in the middle of the night. Springing to his feet and grabbing his wand he ran casting Alohomora as he crossed his own threshold and summoning Draco's wand as soon as he entered the room. Then he froze unsure of how to safely wake the other man because while he had the wand there was still a distinct possibility that the man would deck him if he reached to touch him and wake him. He wasn't sure why he hesitated to do what he had done before.

He heard a clatter from the stairway behind him soon felt Hermione at his back, wand held aloft and alight.

"What's going on?" she whispered as Draco had settled and was quiet once more.

"Nightmare," he whispered back turning to take her by the arm and lead her out of the room, "come on."

She resisted, "Nightmare?" she peered over at Draco who was once again lying calmly in his bed though the rumpled, twisted sheets and the red in his face clearly belied his previous state.

"Yes," Harry whispered half pushing, half pulling her from the room stopping only a moment to cast Silencio and Muffliato nonverbally but before they could make it out of the room fully and close the door Draco again began yelling.

"NO! Don't! Leave her alone! STOP! Bellatrix stop! Don't hurt her!"

Hermione pushed past Harry back into the room yelling herself, "Draco, wake up! Draco!"

Harry spoke into her ear, "He won't hear you. I was trying to avoid doing this earlier but I know it works, Levicorpus"

"Harry!" she shouted as Draco flew into the air at nearly the same time the blond man yelled, "POTTER!"

"Sorry, I had to," he said to Hermione, "Liberacorpus."

"You had to?!"

"Another nightmare?" Draco asked.

Harry nodded.

"It's ok Hermione, that's the safest way to wake me up during one of those. Thanks Potter. I'll be sure to return the favor."

Hermione whipped around to Harry, "Return the favor? You have nightmares too?"

Harry shook his head, "Hermione everyone has nightmares."

"But these aren't just any ordinary nightmares are they?" she looked back and forth between the two men, "normal nightmares someone can be woken up without being hoisted in the air. Draco you were yelling at your aunt, that was a nightmare about the war wasn't it?"

Neither man answered.

"It was. Nearly two decades later and you're still having nightmares?"

"More like again than still," Harry replied and Draco nodded in agreement.

"Again?"

Draco sighed, "I'm not going to sleep again anytime soon, let's go downstairs and we can explain to her. Hermione why don't you stop in and check on Hugo, make sure I didn't wake him up then meet us in the kitchen, quietly so we don't wake Kreacher."

"You've done this before," she said in wonder, "and you take care not to wake Kreacher?"

Draco shook his head, "Don't read too much into it Granger."

"Granger-Weas-" she began to say then halted.

Harry put his hand on her shoulder, "Herminone, Hugo, then kitchen."

"Right, ok," she said then turned and went down the stairs.

"Catch," Harry said then tossed Draco's wand back to him.

"Thanks. So you never did tell her about the nightmares?" Draco asked as they began to make their way down to the kitchen.

"We talked about this remember. I'm trying to avoid her worrying over me. Clearly she has enough to worry about."

Draco nodded, "That she does, but maybe this will take her mind off of her own problems."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Harry replied waving his wand in the direction of Kreacher's cabinet, then turning to get mugs and take them to the table as Draco began heating water in a kettle on the stovetop. "You have no idea just how single minded she can be."

"I think I can imagine."

"Yeah try living it."

"Living what?" Hermione asked as she came in.

Harry winced just slightly before responding, "The way Kreacher would behave if we woke him up at this time of night, especially if he knew why."

"I take that to mean," she said, "that you have experienced that."

"Once," he replied, "and that was enough."

Draco turned to Hermione "The water is hot, would you prefer tea or coffee?"

"We also have some hot cocoa," Harry added knowing that was a particular favorite of Hermione's.

"That sounds wonderful but don't think that you can distract me."

Harry chuckled, "Distract you, never."

Draco looked warily between the two of them simply watching to see if the joke would be taken as he assumed Harry meant it then relaxed when Hermione began to laugh and shake her head.

"Uh huh sure, pass the stuff I'll make my own cocoa."

"You don't trust me?" Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Harry," she sighed, "I know you don't want to talk about the nightmares, and while it means I'm making assumptions and I try not to do that especially about people I don't know well I don't think Draco does either."

"Honestly talking about it helps," Draco put in, "and I've suggested to Harry that he tell you but he seems to not want to listen."

"Thanks Malfoy," Harry grumbled at being thrown under the bus.

"Oh Harry grow up," Hermione said. "Why wouldn't you tell me?"

"You have too much going on right now."

"That's not the only reason," she said knowingly.

"He's worried you'll go overboard trying to help," Draco added.

Harry just glared at the blond beginning to contemplate what hexes he could send nonverablly..

"And you don't?" she asked.

"I don't know you well enough any more, if I ever did, to say whether or not you might."

"Well then since you seem to be more reasonable and are willing to talk we'll start with you," she said.

Draco nodded while Harry bit back a sigh of relief, "What do you want to know?"

"What was your nightmare about?"

"You know as well as I do, you're the one that told me what I was saying."

"Bellatrix torturing me," she said, "And what triggered it? Was it me showing up tonight? Your sudden apology, which by the way I accept thank you. You two said again not still on having nightmares so when did they start again? When Scorpius started school? When you started working on the tapestry?"

Draco cocked his head to one side, "Do I even need to be here for this conversation?"

Harry gave him a look that clearly said _Now do you know what I mean?_

She shook her head and turned to Harry, "And you, when did your nightmares start again?"

He didn't answer, just waited knowing she'd get there in a moment all on her own.

"Rowle," she said simply.

He nodded.

"Harry that was, what? Two years ago? And you never said anything to me? Ginny never said anything either so you obviously didn't tell her. That was part of the issues you were having, you didn't tell her and you were staying here nights so if you had a nightmare she and the kids wouldn't know. Harry," she sighed. "You never change do you."

"We really don't need to be here do we?" Draco half laughed.

She turned to him, "You could go back to bed if you'd rather, though I thought you wanted to talk."

Harry bit back a laugh that he couldn't hold in any more when Draco, Draco Malfoy of all people laughed and snorted.

"Fine sit there and laugh at me you two. I guess you're fine after all."

"Could have told you that Mione," Harry said.

"I'm still going to do some research."

He nodded, "Wouldn't expect any different."

She looked at Draco.

"Yes, we're dealing with them and neither one of us has them often anymore but if we can find a way to get rid of them altogether or even make them much less frequent I'm all for it," he answered her unspoken question.

"Even if it's a Muggle solution?" She whipped her head to look at Harry when he sniggered at that comment.

"Maybe you'd better fill her in on your love of certain Muggle things," Harry suggested to Draco, "he wears denims, eats in Muggle restaurants, and has even used the internet."

Hermione's mouth dropped open.

Draco took pity on the startled witch and began to explain as Harry rose to fill their cups.

When the storytelling was complete Hermione shook her head, "Makes you wonder how many others opinions changed drastically after the war and with the time that's passed since."

"Pansy is a bit more tolerant of Muggleborns though still wouldn't be caught dead in Muggle London. Blaise has never really cared; it was only his mother that did so he played along as best he could. Theo is a lot like me. Greg well we lost touch years ago but he hadn't changed at all the last I'd talked to him, though I suppose he could have by now. I don't know where he is and honestly don't have a great desire to find him so I guess it's unlikely I'll ever know."

"Mione," Harry broke in, "It's almost time for Hugo to get up isn't it? Do you need help with him today?"

"Oh, I hadn't even. I don't know. I...I can't stay home I have work. I don't-"

"I'm not working currently other than on my research I can help in any way you need. That is if you're ok with that." Draco said.

She cocked her head to one side and chewed her lower lip for just a moment, "Thank you Draco. I would appreciate that. I'm just not sure...No that's fine."

"You're worried about Ron finding out I was alone with your son at any point."

She nodded, "That was my first thought. I'm sorry."

He held up a hand, "Don't apologize. I understand completely."

"I'm not letting his irrationality get in the way of accepting help when it is offered from a... well for now from an acquaintance, but maybe someday a friend."

"I'd like that," he smiled.

"Hugo goes to a Muggle primary school. When I drop him off this morning I'll be sure to let them know you're picking him up today. Oh but do you have a photo ID?"

"Actually yes, though it's French I have a driver's license."

Harry choked on his tea, "You drive?"

"Don't you?"

"Well yes but… sorry just one of those moments."

"Anyway," Draco turned back to Hermione, "I can certainly pick up Hugo. As I said the do seem to come a bit less frequently the more time we spend talking about them afterwards. What kind of research were you planning to do about the nightmares? Maybe I could stop by the library and look something up before I pick up Hugo."

Trying to not appear as shocked as she felt at the statement she replied, "I was thinking about looking into PTSD. I recall reading something about delayed onset though this seems even longer than delayed."

"PTSD?"

"Post traumatic stress disorder, at least that's what it's called in the Muggle world. We don't have a name for it. If that's what it really is I know of someone who is a Muggleborn wizard that managed to go to university and get a degree in counseling. He uses a combination of wizarding and muggle techniques with patients willing to see him. He might be able to help you two, if you're interested that is."

Draco thought for a moment, "Well let's see what we find out from research first."

"If you wish. I'm going to go clean up and get Hugo ready for school. I'll leave you directions to get to his school including the nearest apparition point. He's gone Side-Along with me before so feel free to bring him back that way. Thank you again. If you bring him back here I'm sure Kreacher will give him a snack and he can play or read until I get back."

"Not a problem."

After she had gone up the stairs he turned to Harry, "That wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be considering what you had said before."

Harry looked worried, "Yeah that was strange. I have a feeling it's just the tip of the iceberg. We can only wait and see."


	24. Narcissa visits

"And then BIlly started making fun of me because I have red hair. He said gingers have no soul. I was starting to get angry and I didn't want to get in trouble for doing something stupid or losing control of my magic so I just did what Mum always says to do and it worked! I was able to get calm and ignore him and because I ignored him he got louder first and even yelled in my face but then he gave up and went away. Mum's idea worked, she was right, but don't tell her I said that ok?"

Draco's head was spinning as Hugo filled him in on the entire school day. It had been a long time since Scorpius had been this enthusiastic about anything. He couldn't help himself but laugh, "I won't tell her but you have to do something for me."

A look of suspicion crossed Hugo's face, "What?"

"Nothing much," Draco shrugged, "just tell me what your Mum said to do that worked so well."

"Oh that. Mum taught me to mediate. She practiced a lot and taught James and Rose and Al and Lily too. Al said it worked for him so did Rose but James said it was just a waste of time. Al said James said that because he didn't do it right. He didn't want to take the time to actually meditate, he's too um im something. Do you know the word? I know it starts with im, um imp..."

"Impatient?" Draco suggested.

Hugo laughed, "That too but that's not the word I was trying to remember. This one means he doesn't think things through first, he just does them."

"Impetuous?" Draco asked raising one eyebrow.

"Yeah that's it," Hugo replied gleefully, "im-pet-u-ous, impetuous. Ok I got it now. Anyway Al said that James is impetuous and Rose agreed with him so I figured it was still worth trying to learn and maybe if it didn't work for me I just needed to try harder but it did work and I didn't get in trouble."

"Good job," Draco said then considered how he had reacted in the few times when Harry and company had simply ignored him at school and asked, "What would you have done if he hadn't stopped?"

Hugo shrugged, "I usually run over to tell one of the teachers but he acts so good around them they don't believe me. So then I just stay near them and then he leaves me alone but now that I can meditate I'll just do that."

Draco thought a moment, it wasn't really his place to offer suggestions but he had a feeling that this Billy kid would just come at Hugo harder the next day with others around him, but what could he suggest that was a non magical response. He didn't want to overstep his bounds or to suggest anything that might get the kid in trouble but he felt like something needed to be done and contrary to his own past he felt that the bully needed to learn a lesson. Actually he wondered if he had been called out on his behavior when younger if things would have turned out differently. As he decided to wait and speak to Hermione later the Floo flared to life in the next room. Draco caught a look of apprehension on Hugo's face. He patted the child gently on the shoulder as he stepped in front of him as unobtrusively as possible.

"Draco darling?" came a call from a familiar lilting voice.

"In the drawing room Mother," he called back walking to the door to greet her.

She came into the hallway and turned to him brushing at her smart black pants suit to remove an vestiges of ash that clung to her frame her hair falling over her face. She shook it back as she looked up and caught Draco's eye.

"Darling," she said coming forward with her arms wide.

He stepped into her embrace and held her tight then stepped back brushing his cheek against hers.

"Your hair," he said raising an eyebrow.

She tilted her head to the right also raising an eyebrow, "Yes?"

He reached up to touch the shortened strands looking at her consideringly. With the hair now swinging just barely brushing her shoulders rather than pulled back into the severe knot it had been in almost since the end of the war she looked years younger, though that he would never dare say to her.

"It suits you Mother. But what brought this on?" he asked as he gestured to her hair and the pantsuit, "a new haircut, pants instead of a skirt, and something about your makeup seems different too. Tori finally convinced you to go out shopping with her didn't she? Or is there a new gentleman in your life?"

"Draco dear you know better than to ask a question like that," she chided softly.

He nodded and chuckled silently acknowledging that she had answered without answering. "Well then I suppose you're here to see the tapestry."

"I am darling. I don't know why I waited to long. I asked Andi to come with me but she simply won't enter this house, not that I blame her but I wish we could see it together. Teddy even tried to get her to come with him but she said no to that too."

"And I'm guessing she won't come with the two of you together either, or with Harry or I or if we're both here."

Narcissa shook her head, "Still I can tell her about it and show her the pictures you sent. When you finish your research and have it all written up I can show her that too. It was so kind of Harry to allow you to repair the tapestry."

"It really was the boys' idea," he reminded her.

"Yes I shall have to send a thank you note and possibly a small gift to Scorpius and Albus. Perhaps something they can share with all those in Slytherin."

On impulse he once again hugged his mother, leave it to her to find a way to try and make life easier for not only her grandson but his best friend both of whom, while happy with each other were still trying to find their way in a house that wasn't sure if they should welcome them or not.

"Thank you," he murmured.

She merely nodded as they separated once again. He turned holding out his arm, she slid her hand into the crook of his elbow and he led her into the room using his wand to quickly open both doors so that she could see the whole tapestry as she entered but as looked at her to watch her reaction he saw that she had closed her eyes. Smiling he continued walking until they reached the center of the room. Out of the corner of his eye he noted that Hugo had slipped into a chair by the one wall not covered with names. Hugo's eyes were large as he sat silently watching Draco and his mother enter.

Hugo had heard any number of things about the Malfoy family through the years from his father and in wizarding society in general. Spending just a bit of time with Draco and hearing all about Scorpius had him questioning what he'd heard but this was Mrs. Malfoy he knew she had been bad but Uncle Harry insisted she had saved his life though Dad said it was just because she wanted to save Draco. Still… he had gone with Draco willingly when the man came to pick him up because Draco was a friend of Uncle Harry's and Mum had said that it was ok. He was pretty sure the man was alright after the way he had listened to his stories of the day and gotten a snack for him without even asking Kreacher to do it. He had tried to get Hugo to call him by his first name but Mum always said he had to call grownups by Mr. or Mrs. or Ms. and their last name. Mr. Malfoy had laughed at that and said he'd talk to Hugo's mother but in the meantime how about Mr. M. which made Hugo smile.

He sat and watched as Mr. M's mum went to the wall and looked closely at the names, trailing her fingers over some of them here and wondered what she'd say when she saw him sitting there. Dad had told him Mr. M's family hated his family but Mr. M. didn't, so maybe his mum wouldn't either. He knew he could leave, could slip quietly out of the chair and the door and up the stairs to his room but something he couldn't identify kept him in his seat watching.

Narcissa had moved to one edge of the tapestry to begin her perusal. She scanned high and low occasionally lifting a hand to touch the name of a long lost family member of friend, most especially those lost in the first and second wars. Tears popped to her eyes as she came to her immediate and closest extended family.

"Andi," she whispered caressing her sister's name and trailing one finger down to Teddy before her eyes drifted back up.

"Bella," she sighed and shook her head.

A lone tear trailed down her cheek, "Siri and Reg."

She stood only a moment longer looking at her closest family before once again moving along looking at all the other names on the wall. She paused once again as she came to the Weasleys. Turning to Draco she said, "Mrs. Granger Weasley had tried to fix this before you said. I should thank her as well."

"You're going to thank my Mum?" Hugo said eyes wide, "but she's a Muggleborn." His hands flew up to cover his mouth.

Narcissa turned to regard the young redheaded boy sitting nearly shaking in a chair that almost swallowed him. She bit back a grin and replied, "Yes she is, and that is just proof that many of us disregarded Muggles and Muggleborns for no real reason for a long time. Fortunately we have your Mother and Mr. Potter among others to thank for showing us that we were wrong and helping us," she halted for a moment, "well for helping some of us to realize it. It's just unfortunate there are still those who don't."

"If only there were more people like you Mother," Draco said.

"If only I had been braver and taught you better," she replied.

"You can't change the past or wish it away my Mum says," Hugo piped up from the chair, "you can only change the present and the future so that's what you have to focus on. She also says that you never know what one small change in the past might make on our present. Whether things would be better or worse. She tells Dad that a lot when he complains about how he wishes something, well except when he says he wishes Uncle Fred were still here then she gets quiet and changes the subject. Anyway there's a name for that one small change thing but I can't remember what it is."

"The Butterfly Effect," Draco said.

"That's it. Wow you sure are smart."

Narcissa bit her lip before replying, "It seems young Mister Weasley that you are as well."

"Thank you ma'am."

"Oh my, ma'am. I don't think anyone has called me that in a long time. Such good manners. But you must call me something other than ma'am. And somehow I don't yet know your name."

Hugo slid down from the chair and stood up as tall as he could then spoke, "My name is Hugo Ronald Weasley, you can call me Hugo or Hugh, Mrs. Malfoy."

Narcissa smiled, "How very nice to meet you Hugh. Now we must come up with something else for you to call me. Mrs. Malfoy is so formal."

Hugo twisted his lips as he thought, "I call your son Mr. M. I could call you Mrs. M but that would be strange because you're his mom."

This time she stifled a giggle as she answered, "That would be a bit odd I suppose."

Neither seemed to notice as Draco turned around and clamped his jaw to keep from laughing at the exchange.

Hugo continued to stand in deep concentration for just a few moments before a broad smile broke out on his face and he began to hop a bit on his toes.

"I've got it! SG." he suggested proudly.

"SG?"

"Yeah, for Scorpius's Grandma," he explained.

Her smile matched his own as she nodded, "I like that quite a lot. Now Hugh what do you say we go in the other room and let Draco do his work. I believe I saw a chess set there when I came in. Do you know how to play?"

He shook his head, "Dad tried to teach me but I just don't understand so he gave up. James says it's a stupid game but Al and Rose love it."

She grimaced slightly, "Well maybe if someone else tries to teach you it will make sense. Would you like to try?"

"You'll teach me?"

"Absolutely if you'll let me. See my one and only grandson is off at Hogwarts and I miss spending time with him. I would enjoy spending time with you."

"So maybe you would miss him less. I can do that. Let's go SG," he said and took off out of the room and down the hall calling for Kreacher to bring tea to the table with the chess set.

Narcissa and Draco exchanged smiles as she left the room brushing his shoulder with her hand. "Get back to work darling. When his mother or uncle come home I shall come back and you can tell me all about it."

Just over an hour later a windblown disheveled Hermione rushed through the drawing room doors, "Draco I'm so sorry. I was sure I could get my work done and get home sooner or at least pack some of it up to bring home and work. I never meant to leave you with Hugo for so long."

He turned to look at her head tilted, "Hermione I have a son of my own did you think I wouldn't be able to handle yours?"

Her head shook vigorously, "Oh no I just know how busy you are with your research and I know how he can be and I just knew he'd talk your ear off and keep you from working and," at this she looked around the room, "Wait he's not in here? Where is he? How did you manage to get him to leave you alone while you work? Whatever you did you have to teach me."

Draco sat stunned for a moment. He was sure when she had first noticed that her son was not in the room that she would accuse him of doing something and while she did she didn't accuse him of anything nefarious more something ingenious. His head was spinning as he looked back at the tapestry, down to the parchment he had been writing on, and then up at her. Finally he replied, "You can't get him to leave you alone while you work and yet you were going to bring work home to do?"

"I know I know it sounds ridiculous but I keep trying hoping at some point he'll get the hint. Seriously whatever you did you have to teach me."

He chuckled and held up both hands, "I'm afraid I can't take any credit for him not being in here. When we first got back as soon as he had his snack in hand he was in here telling me about his day, which reminds me I wanted to talk to you about something he said but that can wait until later. Anyway shortly thereafter-"

They were interrupted but a young boy's shout of victory and a familiar to Draco lyrical laugh. He gestured to the wall separating the drawing and sitting rooms, "My mother came by to see the tapestry and took Hugo to play in the other room so I could work."

Hermione's eyes went wide, "Your mother?"

"Yes she's teaching him to play chess and it sounds like she's been successful."

"Chess?" Hermione repeated twisting a lock of hair around in her right hand as she chewed her lip, "she's teaching him to play chess?"

Draco merely nodded.

"Oh he's wanted so badly to learn but he was having such a hard time understanding and Ronald was simply too impatient to take the time to help him. He expected Hugo to understand and play well nearly instantaneously."

"My father was much the same. Mother was the one that taught me and helped me become so good at the game. She has a way, I can't explain it but she's patient and supportive and… I don't know."

"She let you make mistakes and quietly showed you how to do it differently. She didn't yell or chastise or degrade you in any way."

He cocked his head to the right, "Is that the way you teach your kids?"

She laughed, "Have you not talked to Harry about the way I hounded he and Ronald about school work? I try to be reasonable and patient but I don't succeed as often as I'd like."

He looked down at the parchment and began twirling the quill in his hand, "But you don't berate your children do you? They always know that you love them."

The smile fell from her face as she stepped forward and put her hand on his shoulder, "No matter his faults Draco your father loved you. He was desperate to find you during the battle. He practically begged Voldemort to let him go in and look for Harry just so he could look for you, and it's blatantly obvious to everyone that your mother loves you dearly."

He looked up at her and patted the hand she had placed on his shoulder simply nodding.

"I'll go rescue your mother so that she can do what she came to do and spend time with you."

He watched as she walked from the room wondering how at this point in his life he was making the kinds of friends he wished he'd had in school during the toughest time in his life.


	25. a chess lesson and dinner

Hermione stood in the doorway to the sitting room watching her son smile, laugh, and talk with a woman she would never had thought would give she or either of her offspring the time of day; giving him the one-on-one attention he so rarely got from either set of grandparents though her parents tried to take one of the siblings at a time to spend special time with them but considering everyone's schedules it was a rare occurrence. She turned her attention to the woman who was beaming as Hugo took her queen from the board.

"Wonderful job Hugo dear," Narcissa congratulated the boy.

"SG. you said you were going to call me Hugh," he insisted.

"Yes, yes I did," she replied, "well then wonderful job Hugh dear."

"Thanks SG!" he grinned then twisted his lips, "are you letting me win?"

"Heavens no, you're just getting better I don't need to go easy on you. You have an analytical mind. You may not come to an answer immediately as some people do, and mind you they are as often wrong as they are right, rather when you get to an answer you get to the right one much more often than not. Chess is the perfect game for a mind like yours. You just need someone that's patient to play with you. A patient person will be more likely to give you a challenge as well. Someone who isn't so impetuous that they make the first move each time. That type of person may win games and when they do it's because they move so quickly and confuse their opponent rather than winning by outthinking their opponent. A slow player is a smart player. Whatever made you think I was letting you win anyway?"

"Mum does it," he answered.

At that Hermione entered the room, "Hugo I have never let you win. You know I never play chess with your father, I never even play with your Uncle Harry, your sister, or Al. For some reason chess has always eluded me."

"Really Mum? You really don't just let me win?"

She ruffled his hair, "No my love. We haven't played many times but when we have played and you won you beat me fair and square and it sounds like you might now be out of my league."

He ducked away from her hand, "Maybe SG can teach you too. You could couldn't you?"

Both women began to speak at once then both halted at the same time and each gestured for the other to continue.

Finally Narcissa spoke, "If your mother would like me to I certainly could, though I think with a bit more practice you could teach her yourself or Draco certainly knows the rules well enough."

Hermione jumped slightly when the voice came from behind her, "I do Mother but you are such a good teacher. I've tried teaching others over the years but you just seem to have a knack for it. You could be a professor if you wanted to be. You certainly have more patience than some of the professors we had at Hogwarts."

"If you were able to wrangle this one and teach him I'd have to agree Mrs. Malfoy," Hermione said.

A slight pink stained the older woman's cheeks as she replied, "Oh please call me Narcissa, Mrs. Granger-Weasley."

Hermione swallowed and nodded, "Then you must call me Hermione."

"Certainly dear."

"I know you came to visit Draco. Why don't you do that and Hugo here can show me what's he's learned and explain the meaning behind SG," Hermione suggested, "And then we can see if Kreacher needs any help with dinner."

Draco shook his head, "You know he won't let you."

Hermione looked over his shoulder at him, "He will when I tell him I want Hugo to learn how to cook so that someday when he's on his own without an elf he can take care of himself and that Kreacher cooks much better than I do."

Narcissa and Draco both looked at her consideringly before Draco replied, "Thinking like that you could have been a Slytherin."

"Oh I would never have thought like that in school."

"Really," he raised an eyebrow, "and whose idea was it to brew and use Polyjuice to get into our Common Room second year."

She blushed.

Narcissa chuckled lightly, "I have a feeling you work well at the Ministry my dear."

"Thank you Mrs - Thank you Narcissa."

Narcissa took Draco's arm and walked with him back to the drawing room, "All right now Draco dear show me the work you've been doing. I want to hear about all the old families that have been hiding their Muggleborn and Half Blood family members."

Draco spent the next several minutes sharing everything he had learned with his mother. She nodded and replied. When he wound down she placed her hand on his shoulder, "Wonderful job darling. I have a feeling this could make a big impact on our society."

"If anyone can be bothered to read it."

"Darling, people will read. We just need to have the right person write the article and the right person interviewed."

"And leave my name completely out of the discussion."

"No I think that makes it a selling point especially if you specifically release any of our family members that have been hidden in the press release or initial article. I'm sure we know a reporter or two that would be more than willing to write the story...and," she paused for a moment, "don't you think Harry would-"

"No Mother."

"But he's been so kind in letting you stay here and do the research. You don't think he would-"

"I won't be asking him," Draco said.

"Why ever not darling? He could be of great-"

"No Mother," Draco said firmly and as Narcissa looked at him she held up both hands in surrender.

"Whatever you say dear. I'm sure I still have some contacts that can help. Or perhaps your Aunt Andromeda knows someone."

"Knows someone who can do what?" Harry's voice came from the door.

Draco turned to look at him, "Nothing."

Right eyebrow raised Harry replied, "Uh huh, nothing? Really?"

Draco sighed, "Yes really nothing."

Harry looked to Narcissa, "He's in one of those moods huh?"

She stifled a giggle as she nodded and said, "Unfortunately yes."

Harry laughed and both of them ignored Draco as he protested, "I am not in a mood."

"Lovely to see you Harry dear. Andromeda was just saying the other day how long it's been since she's seen you and the children."

He grimaced slightly, "Speaking of Andromeda it seems she and Teddy and have been keeping something from us for quite a while. And I must say Mrs. Malfoy with your abilities for subversion and secrets you would have made a fine Auror and possibly even an Unspeakable."

"Oh my, you do know how to flatter a witch don't you, and please call me Narcissa."

He nodded, "I do need to take Lily to see her some time and plan time with her this summer. Though maybe this summer we should all plan to meet in France. My children have never been and as Teddy and Victoire will be living there they should become familiar with the country. Would you be willing to serve as a tour guide Narcissa?"

"Absolutely, though I am surprised that you wouldn't ask Draco after all the time he's been availing himself of your hospitality."

"Hey!" Draco snapped but once again they both ignored him.

"When he gets back to France I'm sure he'll need to get back to work. My other thought was to ask Astoria."

At this Draco merely groaned as thoughts of the many stories his former wife could share flew through his mind.

"Would you stay for dinner Narcissa?" Harry asked, "I believe Kreacher has managed to get it nearly done even with Hermione and Hugo in his kitchen."

"Kreacher did do most of the cooking right?" Draco asked.

"Draco dear," his mother chided.

Harry laughed, "Yes he did. He means no offense Narcissa. It's just that while she can be a dab hand at potions and many other things Hermione is not a chef extraordinaire."

"Insulting my cooking skills again Harry?"

He flinched at the voice, "No you are a perfectly adequate cook," at this Draco snorted and Narcissa swatted him while Harry continued, "you simply have not had a lifetime to dedicate to cooking as Kreacher has."

"Uh huh," she glared at him for a moment, "Oh fine come to dinner then. Narcissa I hope you'll be joining us Hugo has set a place for you."

"Oh well I -"

Draco cut her off, "Father will not go hungry without you. Binky would never let that happen."

"Binky?" Harry's eyes went wide and he bit his lip.

"Yes Father's favorite house elf," Draco replied.

Harry chuckled, bit down harder, and finally gave up just managing to get out, "Does Binky do morning exercises, or has Binky ever saved Christmas?" before bursting into hysterical laughter.

Both Malfoys stood staring their shock only increasing when Hermione also burst into giggles. The blondes exchanged confused glances and moving together to edge around the two laughers into the hall and down to the kitchen.

A short while later Harry and Hermione entered the kitchen wiping their eyes.

Harry sat down at the table across from Draco and turned to face Narcissa as well, "I apologize. That was..it was…"

"Silly, ridiculous, and an inappropriate reaction to the name of your house elf," Hermione filled in, "I apologize as well.

Draco raised an eyebrow, "Would you care to explain?"

Harry worried his lip with his teeth and looked over his shoulder to Hermione who shook her head, "No it's all your fault you get to explain."

"His fault?" Narcissa asked.

Hermione nodded, "Absolutely, he's the one that introduced the children not only to the internet before they ever went to school but he's also the one that introduced them to youtube."

Narcissa turned to Draco who she found shaking his head and sighing.

"Youtube is videos Mother. Muggles and I imagine at least a few witches and wizards create videos where they show others how to do things sometimes quite badly, musical groups have music videos, there are people who make shows just for youtube."

"And you can find old telly shows as well," Harry added.

"That would be where the problem lies," Hermione said as Kreacher began to present their food.

"Mom what are you talking about?"

Harry cocked his head to one side, "Hugo why don't you tell Draco and Narcissa about Garfield. Especially Christmas and Halloween. Don't skip any details."

Hermione smacked Harry on the back of the head but before she could say anything Hugo launched into a retelling of the American television shows he and his cousins had discovered online between bites.

The adults laughed but both women kept the men in the corner of their eyes the entire time watching how the two interacted, noting how each took a turn watching the other when attention was on Hugo. Both reaching for the salt at the same time and pulling their hands back as if burned when they brushed then each gesturing for the other to take it first. When neither moved Narcissa in the midst of a response to Hugo, picked up the shaker, shook it just once over her plate then passed it to Draco pressing it into his hand as he sat staring at her. Hermione stifled a giggle at the look on the blonde's face.

As dinner ended Hugo spoke up, "SG I can show you the show on Youtube. Uncle Harry has a null magic room so we can use electronics."

After a quick glance at Draco and then one to Hermione she nodded, "Absolutely Hugh dear. Then Hermione do you think you could show me some shopping sites. I know that Tori does a great deal of her shopping that way and I have some birthdays coming up, including hers."

Hermione hesitated only a moment then catching the twinkle in the older woman's eye and her nearly imperceptible head tilt to the two men she nodded and stood, "If you know what you'd like to purchase I can direct you to the best sites."

The two women followed Hugo as he ran out of the room leaving the two men sitting staring at one another.

"What just happened?" Harry finally asked.

"I have no idea," Draco said.

"Master Harry, Master Draco, you should be going to the sitting room for a drink," Kreacher said as he began to clear the table.

Again the two men exchanged a glance and shook their heads before both standing and leaving the kitchen.


	26. Conversations

**A/N so I absolutely suck and haven't touched this story in ages but I had a new Drarry idea come to me not long ago and I decided I wouldn't write it until I finished this one, so I've been hard at work writing and updating the chapters for a week now. All chapters before this are updated. I have two complete chapters done after this, working on another, with one more and possibly a short epilogue to follow. If anyone is still reading thank you and you're awesome! As always reviews are welcomed and appreciated.**

Harry dropped into a chair as he entered the room.

Draco went to the sidebar and filled two glasses with Firewhiskey, gave one to Harry then sat down on the arm of the chair across from the brunette.

"About yesterday-"

"I'm sorry about-"

They both laughed nervously. Harry gestured for Draco to continue.

"I'm sorry about my mother just showing up today. I'd invited her to come see the tapestry but I had no idea she'd come today. I thought she'd send an owl or Floo call first not simply show up."

Harry waved the hand not holding his glass, "Draco your mother is welcome here whenever she would like to visit. It is one of her ancient family homes after all."

"You really may want to reconsider that," Draco warned.

Harry merely laughed and shook his head.

"I'm serious," Draco insisted.

"Oh I know you are," Harry replied, "but you have to understand I love having people in my house. Especially family, well, loving family that is. I didn't get that kind of childhood and I want my own children exposed to people who love each other unconditionally."

"I would imagine that that is especially important to you after recent events."

Harry simply nodded.

Draco took a sip from his glass then asked, "Now what was it you were saying about yesterday?"

Harry sat forward in his chair, opened his mouth, closed it, looked at the ceiling, chewed his bottom lip, and finally responded, "Maybe we should wait on that."

Draco followed the brunette's eyes to the ceiling, cocked his head consideringly, and nodded, "That is probably a good idea. So tell me about your day."

* * *

Narcissa sat at the computer laughing at the video that Hugo was showing her, "Thank you Hugh dear, that was quite amusing. Now I really could use your mother's assistance if she's willing."

"Oh Mum will help you I'm sure but do you really have to shop? We could watch more videos," he whined.

Hermione clucked quietly and put her hand on her son's shoulder, "I imagine you have some homework to do young man."

When he began to protest she raised a hand, "Have you finished your reading for the evening?"

He scowled and shook his head.

"Then why don't you go take your bath, get in your jammies, climb into bed and you can read your book for class then when I come in you can read to me."

"Think Uncle Harry will let me use his big tub?"

"You can always ask."

"OK bye SG, love you Mum!" he called as he ran out of the room and off down the stairs.

Both women laughed then turned to look at the other.

Hermione spoke first, "Do you really need to shop for your daughter in law Mrs. Malfoy."

"Narcissa dear, and yes I do and we probably should but we can certainly talk while we search couldn't we."

"We could," Hermione responded hesitantly.

"Well while you show me somewhere I can look at I'd say purses or shoes, Tori seems to be enamored of both, perhaps you can tell me just what is going on with those boys."

"What's going on?" an eyebrow raised.

"They seem to be spending quite a bit of time watching one another when they think no one including the other is looking. Draco quite fancied Harry when he was younger though I'm not sure he even realized that's what he was feeling at the time. Lucius was quite annoyed at how often Draco would go on and on about 'Potter' and of course I was the one that got to first listen to Draco rattle and rant and then listen to Lucius rattle and rant about Draco rattling and ranting. It was all quite tiresome. I had thought he was long over those feelings but I wonder if living here has brought them back."

"I don't know what I can tell you. I know little about how Draco is feeling but yes Harry does seem to be, well intrigued might be the best word."

Narcissa scanned through a page of handbags as he listened and then responded, "Pardon me for bringing it up dear as it truly is none of my business except that it does involve my son and I'd hate to see him heartbroken, but I didn't think that Harry was gay."

Hermione shrugged, "He's not, or at least he thinks what he actually is or might be is bisexual, and he's not even sure of that. It's all Ginny's fault, Ginny and Tori I believe."

One well groomed brow rose as high as it could go, "that sounds like quite a story."

Hermione shared with the older woman what she knew of the conversations Ginny had had with Tori and Harry as she also helped her set up an account on the store website using her Gringotts information.

"Harry has feelings for Draco. I'm not sure he's even admitted to himself how he feels at this point, he can be incredibly stubborn and occasionally denial is his strong suit. He's still adapting to the thought that he is attracted to men. Though I wonder now how none of us noticed it before. He was rather obsessed with your son throughout our years at Hogwarts. Draco seemed the same, they were always glaring at one another across classrooms, the Great Hall, the Quidditch pitch, and sniping at each other every chance they got. It was a hate hate relationship."

"Love and hate they say are two sides of the same coin. If they felt that strongly about each other then maybe it was more than hate, or maybe for one or both it was simply a cover, subconscious though it no doubt was. The question is what can we do about it now?"

Hermione took a step back, "We?"

"Yes dear girl, if we leave it to those two boys they'll be dancing around one another until their grandchildren are at Hogwarts making friends," Narcissa said confidently.

"I don't know if there's really anything I can do."

"You are going to be living here for the foreseeable future aren't you?"

"Well...I...yes probably, but that puts me in the way."

"They just might need that. Just from watching them at supper it's pretty clear they're both hesitant. They just might need you to encourage them."

"I have no idea how I would do that."

"Simple dear, start by talking to each of them, gauge their feelings towards one another."

"I can talk to Harry. I already planned to but I don't have that kind of relationship with your son. He said more to me than I think he meant to last night when I arrived. It seemed they were having a drink in front of the fire, it looked very nearly romantic. He told me he doesn't want to get hurt but we barely know each other I don't think he'd speak to me about how he feels. We're not friends, not the way that he and Harry are."

Narcissa waved her hand in the air, "Aw but now that you are in the same residence it should easily develop. As a matter of fact I think he just might need someone of your intelligence to challenge him. He has other friends and some are bright but none so bright as you. He used to complain about you nearly as much as he did Harry, but it was obvious the questions you asked in class made him think. All I ask is that you let me know what you find out dear. I want my son to be happy again."

"Is he not?"

"Alas he claims to be and when he is with Scorpius he is, however I fear he doesn't believe he can be happy in a relationship, or maybe he's afraid to be, or worse he may no longer believe in love at all. I can't push too much. He knows me too well at this point he clams right up and changes the subject. He does the same with Tori or I'd ask her to speak to him, though I might anyway perhaps she can catch him off guard."

"I really don't know about this," Hermione said.

"You do want your friend to be happy don't you?"

"Well yes, but what if it's not Draco that will make him happy? What if he really isn't attracted to men? What if it's merely the suggestion that has taken a brief hold on him that is the reason he is thinking this way?"

"Those sound like questions you've thought about?"

Hermione sighed, "I have given it some thought. I do want Harry to be happy and when he first told me that Tori and Ginny thought he and Draco could make a great couple I agreed…"

"I sense a but," Narcissa said knowingly.

Hermione nodded, "But I don't want to push Harry. He needs to find his own way. I can talk to him and be a sounding board but I won't push him. He has to do things in his own way on his own time."

"Much the same as Draco. Well then, I suppose all I can ask you to do is to keep me posted on how things are going with them. I won't step in but I do worry about my son."

"You're a mother, it's what we do," Hermione said.

Narcissa smiled, "That we do, and it never seems to stop."

"It's all part of loving them."

"Thank you dear for showing me this," Narcissa said gesturing to the computer, "and for the discussion."

"You're welcome, thank you for spending so much time with Hugo. He loved it. He doesn't get nearly enough time with is grandparents in his opinion."

Narcissa laughed, "I seem to recall hearing the same complaint from Scorpius. Thank you for trusting both my son and I with Hugo. He is a delightful child. Well I must be on my way. I look forward to hearing from you and tell Hugo I will see him again for another chess game. I'm sure he's waiting to read with you by now."

"Oh my," Hermione looked at her watch, "I nearly forgot. I'll have to read an extra chapter with him tonight make it up to him. Goodbye."

* * *

Harry looked up to the ceiling again, "They've been up there an awfully long time, think we should go see what they're doing?"

Draco raised an eyebrow, "Do you really want to know?"

Harry cocked his head to the side and chewed his lip a moment, a move that had Draco looking away taking a deep breath, "Probably not."

"Relax Potter, they got along fine at dinner and we haven't heard any sound of hexing or any explosions I think they'll be fine. Besides they have Hugo with them."

"Potter?" Harry grimaced, "I thought we'd gotten past that."

Draco rolled his eyes, "You take things way too seriously and personally sometimes you know that. It was a joke, Harry. Well that and it's just habit," he raised a hand to cut Harry off before he could protest, "and not just with you. It's how we all referred to each other in our house, even some of the girls went by last name only. Blaise and I have been friends forever even with our brief fling and I still mostly call him Zabini, same with Nott, er Theo. It's just an old habit."

"You really all called each other by last names?"

"Did you think we only did that with you lot?"

"I suppose, we all went by first names."

"As did the Puffs, Ravenclaw seemed to be a mix. I don't know maybe it's because in our House, in our history family names were so important."

"It just seems too impersonal."

"It can be, it's easy to keep people at bay when you don't use first names but it can be just as affectionate depending on how you say their last name," Draco said.

"I guess I just never thought of it that way," Harry replied. "There are aurors that I call by first name and others by last name and I'm not particularly closer to those I call by first name than those I don't. I'm not particularly close to any of them actually at least not anymore."

"Was Weasley really your only good friend?"

"At work yes. I have other friends but I don't see or talk to them as often I did Ron. I have acquaintances at work, other aurors but they've backed off."

"None of them want to get in the middle?"

Harry shook his head, "And I can't blame them. I wouldn't want to get in the middle of a personal problem either. Especially if Ron was on one side of it."

"Bit volatile still is he?"

Harry huffed, "That's an understatement."

"Well I figured it was but I thought maybe he had grown up since he attempted to hex me and ended up puking slugs."

"Not so much, but you deserved to be hexed that time you know."

Draco hung his head, "Yes I know. I deserved worse honestly. I did through most of our time at school, though you and the weas… you and Weasley weren't always so innocent."

"I notice you didn't mention Hermione not being innocent."

"Wouldn't dare, she might punch me again," Draco grinned and they both laughed.

"It's wonderful to see you two getting along so well," Narcissa commented as she entered the room, "I wondered if the day would ever come where you would put aside your differences. It only took nearly twenty years and your sons being smarter than you for it to happen."

"Hey," Draco protested as Harry laughed.

"She's right and you know it," Harry said.

"Oh Merlin don't tell her she's right," Draco muttered, "we'll never hear the end of it."

He ducked as his mother swatted his head, "And now you most definitely won't," she smirked.

Harry stood, "Narcissa it was lovely to see you. You're welcome any time you like. I'm going to head up and let two say good night."

"Thank you Harry dear," she took his hand and squeezed it as he walked past her. She waited to speak again until he had gone up the stairs, "now my darling, don't work yourself too hard. Take some time for yourself, enjoy your time here."

"Mother?" suspicion rang in his voice.

"What Draco darling? You have become friends with Harry, enjoy that. Spend time with him."

"Mother!" this time his voice was indignant, "Stay out of it."

Her face was the picture of studied innocence, "I'm quite sure I don't know what you're accusing me of, but maybe you should follow young Hugo's example and go to bed, you've become quite irritable and that always happens when you're tired."

He shook his head and bit back a sigh, "It was good to see you Mum."

"You too dear," she said as they walked to the fireplace. She hugged him and whispered in his ear, "I just want you to be happy dear and when I see that chance for you it's hard not to say anything but I'm done now. I love you."

"Love you too Mum."

She ran her hand over his cheek before stepping into the Floo and heading home.


	27. Hermione pries

**A/N yep slow build, sorry but this started as just a friendship story but more is coming I promise, reviews as always are appreciated**

Hermione waited a few days before saying anything to either of the two men in the house but she watched them closely, observing their interactions, looking for hints from either of them as to just how they felt. Narcissa had been right they certainly watched one another as nonchalantly as they could. She thought she'd noticed that before but now she was sure. Draco's face was often wary while Harry's was speculative. She wasn't sure what if anything she could say to either of them to make a difference. She was afraid to make things strained between them but it was obvious that something had to be done and neither of them was going to make a move, at least not while she and Hugo were staying there, so she would talk to them first then she would move herself and her son elsewhere if necessary. She'd just have to wait for the right opportunity to appear.

A few days later Hugo was entranced with a new book sent home by his teacher, Kreacher was preparing dinner, and Harry had sent word that he wasn't going to be home until late. She stepped quietly into the drawing room where Draco sat at a table near the far wall alternately writing on the parchment in front of him, looking at the tapestry, and consulting with any one of a number of books sitting open around him. Not wanting to interrupt his work she began to look over the wall. She moved slowly taking it all in stopping at the Weasleys. Her hand rose and ran involuntarily over her children's names.

"Overwhelming isn't it," Draco said softly from behind her, "seeing your children's names on this wall."

"Yes."

"I imagine it must be especially surprising for you," he said. "Sorry, that sounded awful. I meant -"

"I know what you meant," she interrupted, "and you're right. I would never have expected to see my own name on this wall much less my children's. I haven't thanked you for repairing it. It's not really my place to say it but…"

"But it means something to see your name on a wall in a home where you would absolutely not have been welcome when the original owner was in residence," he said.

"It does," she nodded, "and even if she wasn't here when we were her portrait made her views abundantly clear."

"Would that be when the Order was here or when you three were hiding out here seventh year?"

"Harry told you about that?" shock was clear in her voice, "He didn't mention that to me when he was telling me about your visit. Somehow that detail got skipped."

"He didn't exactly tell me but he hinted enough that I was able to figure it out. I'm surprised he didn't tell you. I nearly hyperventilated I was laughing so hard at the thought."

She raised an eyebrow then smiled, "I guess it was rather ironic wasn't it. I should go and let you get back to your work, I just wanted to come in and take a look. I didn't really mean to interrupt."

"It's ok I've been working for hours I should probably take a break anyway or Kreacher will be in here scolding me," he replied.

"Well we wouldn't want that," she chuckled, "once he gets started it's hard to get him to stop. Shall I go get us some tea?"

"That would be nice. I'll clean up the table so we have a place to put it."

When she returned with the tea tray she was biting her lip and her eyes were shining.

"What?" he asked.

"Kreacher," she said.

"Ah so you were scolded."

"Yes," she laughed then did her best Kreacher imitation, "it is much too late for having snacks Miss Hermione. You should have been coming down earlier, as soon as you got home. Mr. Hugo has had a snack. If you and Master Draco are hungry you will just have to wait for dinner. I will make you tea but no biscuits."

"Sounds about right," Draco laughed, "Shall I pour?"

"If you'd like," she said, "just a touch of milk please. Thank you."

"So how was your day?"

She laughed then quickly apologized, "Sorry I just never thought I'd see the day that you and I would sit and discuss anything much less our day at work. My day was, well it was. Any day at the Ministry is filled with bureaucracy and headaches. Occasionally something happens that makes things more exciting, when we manage to find and apprehend someone particularly dangerous or that has been on the run for a while that gets everyone's blood up."

"How is it you're not running things yet?" Draco asked, "I would have thought that you'd be Minister by now.

Her cheeks flushed and she ducked her head.

"You're going to run," he said knowingly.

"No one really knows yet," she replied, "and I really don't know how it will go over if Ron and I are still separated or if we divorce."

"I don't think that's anything you have to worry about," he reassured her, "in this day and age most people won't judge you for that, especially if the rest of his family supports you as I suspect they would."

"Enough about me," she said, "tell me about your work, your research. It looks to be an enormous job."

He spoke for several minutes, showing her entries in the books, both of them rising to look at various places on the tapestry before settling once again in their chairs.

"Fascinating," she said, "you really must publish your findings. Safety might be a concern as some families will not be happy with the reveal but we can always set up a security detail if necessary. Should you go home I can contact the aurors in France to do the same. Of course if you were to stay here you'd be safest as this house has incredible protections on it still and Harry is sure not to let anything happen to you."

He raised an eyebrow and shook his head, "Granger, don't."

"What?" she asked trying for innocence and not quite achieving it.

"You've been talking to Ginny and I'd lay odds my Mother as well when she was here last week. Harry was right we should never have left you two alone for so long."

"Well yes I've spoken with both of them, but what does that have to do with anything?"

He shook his head again, "I said too much the night you arrived and now you along with everyone else wants to push me and Harry together before we even know if it's a good idea."

"You care about him," she said.

"And as I said the other night I don't want to want to add to my list of regrets."

"Fine, this is the last thing I'll say but I want you to really think about it," she leaned forward in her chair looking him as directly in the eyes as she could, "you say you don't want to add to your list of regrets and I can understand that, but won't you regret not trying. Won't you wonder if he feels the same? Won't you wonder if you could have had a real relationship? More than a friendship? Which is worse regretting something you did or something you could have done but didn't because you were afraid?"

He didn't respond immediately instead closing his eyes, sitting back, crossing his arms and then reaching up to rub his temples, finally muttering, "Dammit Granger."

She stood, passed a hand over his shoulder, gathered the tea things and left the room quietly.

The next evening the three adults were lounging in the sitting room, Hermione and Draco each with a book while Harry leaned over paperwork he had brought home from work, when Hugo came to the door.

"Uh, Mum," he said quietly.

She looked up at her son then quickly at her watch, "Oh love, I'm sorry I lost track of time. I'll be right up to read with you."

"Actually Mum would it be okay if Draco read with me tonight. We started reading a book together this afternoon after school and I'd like to keep reading it to find out what happens?" he bit his lip after he finished speaking, he knew his mother loved reading to him and he hated to upset her. He relaxed when she smiled.

"So long as Draco doesn't mind that's fine with me love. I'm reading tomorrow though," she said, "And I want to know what book this is you two are reading."

Draco closed his book, stood, and answered as he went to the door, "Peter Pan, Hugo brought it home. He'd found it in the library at school and neither of us had read it so I took a break and we read a chapter or two."

"Three," Hugo corrected.

Draco blushed but laughed as did everyone else, "Let's go shortstuff, but only one chapter, unless it's really short."

Hermione laughed, "It's Friday night you can read at least two."

Again Draco blushed as he followed Hugo out of the room.

"You seem to be getting along well with Draco," Harry commented putting his quill down and stretching.

"Not as well as you," she replied.

"Hermione," he said a warning in his voice.

"What? Why so suspicious? You've become friends with him. I'm not there yet therefore you get along with him better than I? Sheesh Harry. What were you thinking?"

"I'm thinking I know you."

"And I know you."

"You're not going to let this go are you?" he asked.

She sighed, "I want to see you happy again, but if you're truly not ready to talk I'll leave you alone for now."

"Good," he replied picking up his quill and getting back to work.

"You have to promise me that you will talk to me when you're ready though."

He shook his head and smiled, "Who else would I talk to but my sister?"

She smiled, "That's all I ask."

The two sat in silence for half an hour each in their own pursuit before Harry again set his quill down and stretched. This time he stood and moved to the chair across from Hermione. She peered at him over her the top of her book, "Yes?"

"Don't stop reading on my account Mione. I'm just done with work for tonight. Anything not done now I can work on tomorrow or Sunday and if it's not done when I get back on Monday oh well. I just want to relax for a while."

She read for a few more minutes, glancing at him each time she turned a page. When she finished the chapter, put the bookmark in place, and closed the book he was sitting forward in the chair, hands clasped, staring into the fire.

"So, brother," she smirked, "what's on your mind?"

He shook his head, "I don't know Hermione. All of this, I just don't know."

"Harry you have to stop worrying about this so much. You're going to overthink things and stress yourself out more than you already are. This is not a life and death realization or situation. You don't have to figure this out now."

"It's in my head though. I look at Draco differently now. I catch myself looking at him and wondering why. Was I doing it before and just not noticing or am I doing it now because of the power of suggestion. He knows I'm thinking something, he knows there is something but neither of us knows what. You read the situation nearly right the night you and Hugo came. It wasn't set up to be a romantic evening but we did spend time talking. I told him about a dream I'd had about him and I nearly kissed him."

"Then we came in?"

He nodded.

"I'm sorry Harry."

He held a hand up, "No, don't apologize. It's probably a good thing. It is a good thing. Whatever I'm feeling I don't want to rush into anything. I don't want to use Draco. I don't want to start something to find out I'm wrong, to find out Ginny is wrong and I think she is."

She tilted her head to the side, "What makes you think that?"

He looked at her, then back to the fire where he continued to look as he spoke, "I didn't come home until late last night because I went out for dinner."

"With another man?"

"Yes."

"A date?"

"Yes."

"I take it that it didn't go well."

He laughed ruefully, "You could say that. I don't know. I've been sitting each day in the Ministry cafeteria eating lunch watching the men and women. Sort of asking myself if I'd want to spend time with them, if I'd want to kiss them, if I'd want to sleep with them. Incidentally the only ones I could say yes to sleeping with were all women. There was one bloke who caught my attention though. Rogers from the Department of Muggle Affairs. He's about my height, blonde hair though not as blonde as Draco, green eyes, and quite fit. I guess he noticed me watching him more than once. Yesterday at lunch he came and asked if he could join me. I said yes. We talked through lunch. He's nice. We got along well. He asked me to dinner last night and I thought why not."

"I'm surprised I didn't hear about it at work today. How did you avoid making the front page of the Daily Prophet?"

"We went to a Muggle place, he's a muggle born. Dinner was okay. We kept talking, about books and movies, quidditch and football. I could see him being a good friend but…"

"But not more," she finished.

"No. I just don't like him that way and I don't see those feelings ever developing. I don't know, I really think Ginny read me wrong. I think maybe she was looking for another reason why our marriage fell apart."

"She could have been, or you may be trying to rush figuring this out. Just because you weren't attracted to one many doesn't mean you couldn't be attracted to any man. You obviously have a reaction to Draco."

"And that makes no sense if I find no other man attractive."

"So maybe it's more than attractiveness. Maybe you need more. Maybe for you it's more of an emtional connection. Or maybe Draco is an exception for you. There are those who consider themselves to be straight and yet they have one member of the same gender that they are attracted to, maybe that's what this is."

He sighed, "But how do I find out? I'm not going to risk my friendship with Draco. I value it too much, something I never thought I'd say. And it's not just because I miss having Ron around. My friendship with him was different."

"You and Draco experienced the war in very different ways but seem to have come out of it with similar attitudes towards life. You have similar parenting styles. You've connected, there's nothing wrong with that. Maybe you will never be more than friends but I don't know that you can rule it out. Take your time, just be friends for a while see if you feel the need to try for more. In the meantime you should talk to him about this. Tell him what you're thinking. He deserves to now. Being up front with him is your first step. Tell him about the bad date, see what he says. He does have a unique persepective."

"I don't know Mione. I don't want to hurt him, and what if he's not attracted to me? What if I misread him? That could make things awkward."

She sighed. How much should she say? Was it betraying a confidence to tell him how Draco felt? It really wasn' her place, but she felt like she should say something.

"You said you nearly kissed him the night Hugo and I showed up."

"Yes."

"How did he react? Did he pull back or away from you?"

"No, he actually stepped closer and lifted his hand."

"Was he going to hit you?"

"No, I think he was going to touch my hair."

"Then he does feel something. It sounds like he is attracted to you."

"But what if I'm really not."

"Oh Harry. I don't know what to tell you other than you should go to bed now and talk to Draco tomorrow. I'll take Hugo out for the day. We can go visit my parents. For now," she stood up, leaned over, and kissed him on the head, "go to bed."

"Thanks for listening Mione, love you."

"Love you too Harry.


	28. Misunderstanding

Draco smiled as he closed Hugo's door. It had been a long time since he'd read a book to a child. Scorp had wanted to read to himself starting at about seven. He had been able to convince him to be read to on special occasions but it was never like this. Hugo was so inquisitive and open to new things. The child was sure to ask him to read again. Perhaps he should go let Hermione know, maybe they could work out a schedule to read, or maybe he would just read after school.

When he reached the main floor again he could hear that Harry and Hermione were talking. Not wanting to interrupt he stood trying to decide if he should return upstairs or make a noise to let them know he had come down as they clearly had not heard him on the stairs. What he heard as he stood there made his throat tight and squeezed his heart.

"I could see him being a good friend but…"

"But not more," she finished.

"No. I just don't like him that way and I don't see those feelings ever developing. I don't know, I really think Ginny read me wrong. I think maybe she was looking for another reason why our marriage fell apart."

"She could have been, or you may be trying to rush figuring this out."

He didn't wait to hear any more instead turning and moving as quickly and quietly as he could up the stairs to his room. Once inside with the door closed he pulled out his wand and began sending his things flying into the suitcases he pulled from the closet.

"I knew it. I knew I shouldn't get my hopes up. Damn you Astoria! Damn you Ginevra! Damn you Mother! Damn you Granger! Why did I listen to any of you? Friends isn't enough. Not any more, not right now... I can't. Maybe some day. I have to get out of here. I have to go home. Back to France, yes that's it, distance I need distance. I can still research I just need to take plenty of pictures or I can come back during the day. What do I tell him? How do I tell him? I can't talk to him. I don't think I can get through that. I'll just leave him a note. Where is my parchment?"

As he finished packing all of his clothes he listened at the door. Hearing nothing he peered out into the hallway, Harry's door was now closed. He turned and swished his wand setting his suitcases hovering and following him he crept down the stairs into the drawing room where he collected his research things. He sat for a few moments writing a quick note to explain his absence leaving it in place of the things he had packed up. Next he headed to the Floo, and looking around the room one last time he stepped in and left.

* * *

The next morning the house was slow to awaken. As is the way Hugo, the youngest was up first and off to watch the television. Harry and Hermione both made their way down to the kitchen where Kreacher poured them each a cup of tea.

"What are you going to do today Mione? Are you really going to take Hugo to visit your parents?"

She raised an eyebrow, "If I do will you talk to Draco?"

"I don't really want to but I suppose I should. Not talking isn't solving anything or helping me work anything out."

"Well then after breakfast we'll be out of the way. Send me an owl if we need to stay over at my parents. Better yet I'll just pack up a few things. Hugo will love spending the night anyway."

"Hermione you really don't have to do that."

"I know, but I'm going to anyway."

"You can get owls at your parents house right?" Harry asked.

"Why?"

"Just in case."

"Harry everything will be fine."

Kreacher went to retrieve Hugo for breakfast and reported that Master Draco's door was closed so the three ate without him while the elf prepared him a plate that he set aside.

After Hermione and Hugo left Harry returned to the work he had set aside the previous evening. He hadn't realized just how much time had passed until Kreacher came to ask him what he might want for lunch.

"Is it really that time?" Harry asked the little elf.

"Yes sir, Master Harry sir."

"I think just a sandwich and some crisps. I was so busy I didn't even hear Draco come down to work," Harry noted.

Kreacher shook his head, "Master Draco has not come down to work yet this morning sir."

Harry scowled, "He hasn't that's odd. Has he called you for breakfast?"

"No sir, Master Harry sir."

"It's not like him to sleep this late. I wonder if he's feeling all right."

"Would you like me to go check on him sir?" Kreacher asked.

"No, you go ahead and make lunch. I'll go up and see what's going on with him. Maybe he just took his work to his room for a change. I need to get up and get moving anyway, I've been sitting in this chair for too long."

Harry approached the closed door and knocked, "Draco?"

He waited, there was no response, and he heard nothing from within so cast a quick unlockning spell but was puzzled when he heard no click. He opened the door and stood eyes wide shocked for several minutes before he began opening drawers, the closet, peering under the bed, before running downstairs to the drawing room.

Kreacher found him sitting at the small table Draco had been using for his work staring at a sheet of parchment.

"Master Harry sir?" Kreacher spoke more quietly than Harry knew he was capable of.

"He's gone Kreacher. He's gone back to France, just like that. He's gone."

Kreacher nodded and popped out of the room.

* * *

Hermione finds Harry exactly where Kreacher had left him, "Harry?"

He looked up at her, "He's gone."

"I know," she said, "Kreacher told me."

"Kreacher?"

She pulled a chair over and sat down next to him, "Yes, he popped in to my parents to get me. Hugo's staying there for now. Is that from Draco?"

He looked down at the parchment in his hand, "Oh yeah, here, you can read it."

Potter,

Sorry to leave in such a rush but Robert is in need. I've been remiss in my duties to him. I've been so caught up in my research here that he has run out of several key potions. I really need to get back and restock. My research is not done but it can wait, Robert and his patients can not. Thank you for allowing me to impose upon your hospitality for so long. I am sure I will see you on the next break when the boys get together.

Malfoy

"So he had to get back to work. That's not bad," she said. "He has been here for a few months now, and he did say he'd see you on the next break which is only a month away."

"More like six weeks," Harry corrected.

"Still not that long. So why are you still sitting here staring at this?" she waved the parchment in the air.

"Did you not see how he addressed me, or how he signed it?"

"Potter and Malfoy? So…"

"We haven't called each other by our last names in weeks, more than a month. It's always Harry and Draco now. Something's up, and I never got to talk to him."

"I'm sure he was just in a hurry Harry. Don't read too much into it. Take this as a chance to really think about how you feel. Maybe that's better. Decide what kind of relationship you want with him before you talk to him."

"Hermione just last night you told me to talk to him that it might help me figure it out."

She shook her head, "I know what I said but things have changed so let's go at this from another angle. You've been in close quarters with him for quite a while, maybe his being gone will give you a chance to think. You can always write to him, and you could probably Floo him as well."

"I don't know," he said, "I think this is a sign. We're not supposed to be...whatever we might be."

"Harry," she sighed, "hun you have to stop obsessing. Come with me, let's go eat the lunch that Kreacher prepared and then you can come with me to my parents. They haven't seen you in ages and Mum would love to spoil you."

"Ok, fine," he took the parchment from her and dropped it on the table following her to the door. He stopped turned, went back, grabbed the letter, looked at it again, then folded it and stuck it in his pocket, before walking out of the room.

* * *

The next day Harry sent his owl off with a very purposefully written letter.

Draco,

I understand what it feels like to fall behind and work and feel that you have disappointed or let someone down. Of course you had to get back to work. Please know that Grimmauld Place is always open to you should you find time to come back and work on your research, and your room is yours whenever you might need it. I enjoyed the time we spent together the last few months getting to know one another. If you ever need to talk or just need anything you can call on me.

Harry

He didn't expect a response but was disappointed nonetheless when none came, instead the only things that came from France was a letter to Hugo apologizing for leaving so quickly and promising to read Peter Pan on his own so that on the next break he and Hugo could talk about it while Scorpius, Rose, and Al spent time together.

* * *

Three weeks later Harry was down in the kitchen scrounging in the pantry for a snack when he came across a bag he didn't recall seeing before. Pulling it out he grimaced to see that it was a bag of dill pickle flavored crisps. He went up to the sitting room where Hermione sat reading.

Holding out the bag he said, "Are these yours or Hugo's?"

She looked up and made a face, "Ew no. Where did you find those?"

"In the new groceries that Kreacher just put in the pantry. Why would he buy these if no one in the house eats them?"

"Maybe he likes them," she suggested.

"Kreacher never eats crisps. I've only ever seen him eat vegetables and meat. He rarely even eats fruit and never sweets."

She shook her head, "So ask him."

"Kreacher," Harry called as he entered the kitchen once again.

"Yes Master Harry?"

"Why did you buy these? No one here eats them? Are they for you? It's all right if they are," Harry quickly said to reassure the elf.

"No sir, Master Harry sir. Those are Master Draco's favorite crisps and we had run out."

Harry shook his head the elf had become so attached to the man, "Kreacher, Draco has gone home to France. He's not staying here anymore. He said he'll finish his research later. You don't have to buy anything for him."

"But Master Harry, Master Draco has been here working every day this week sir. Kreacher has been making him lunch every day sir."

"He what?" Harry asked, "Wait Kreacher you're telling me Draco has really been here every day this week?"

"Yes sir Master Harry sir."

"Why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Kreacher thought that Master Draco was welcome here sir, is Kreacher wrong sir?

Harry shook his head, "No Kreacher, you're right he is welcome here anytime, especially to study the tapestry."

"Yes sir."

Harry turned to go when he reached the door a thought occurred to him, "Kreacher, did Draco ask you not to mention that he had been here?"

"No sir, Master Harry sir. Do you want me to tell you when he comes again sir?"

"No Kreacher, that's not necessary."

Harry ran a hand through is hair and scratched his head as he went up to tell Hermione what he had just learned.

* * *

Hermione sat curled up in a chair in wait in the corner of the drawing room the following Thursday after quizzing Kreacher as to Draco's comings and goings.

Draco didn't see her when he entered the room, heading straight for the table sitting against the far wall that he had been using for his work. He didn't see her until he pulled out his wand and moved the table to the left wall.

"Granger."

She didn't respond simply lifted an eyebrow.

"Hermione," he said, "I didn't expect anyone to be here."

She unfolded herself from the chair, stood, and walked closer to him, stopping to stand at his side looking at the wall, "Oh I'm quite sure or you wouldn't be here would you?"

He didn't look at her instead setting about spreading his books and parchment out on the table.

"Why did you leave Draco?"

"I left a letter explaining-"

"I know," she interrupted, "I came home to find Harry sitting in this room in shock just staring at it. I found it odd however that you left so quickly, either that night after the rest of us had gone to bed or in the morning before anyone was awake. Robert couldn't possibly have been so low on potions or incapable of making them himself that you couldn't wait just a bit longer to say goodbye and explain in person. What reason could you have for leaving in such a rush?"

"Is this another conversation I don't need to be here for?" he asked.

"Oh you're not getting away that easily. What happened that made you leave so suddenly? We were all enjoying a pleasant evening, you went up to read to Hugo, Harry and I had a talk…" She trailed off and turned to look at him. "You came back downstairs after you read to Hugo didn't you? What did you hear? How much of my conversation with Harry did you overhear?"

He shrugged, "Enough to know that it was time for me to go."

"Which leads me to believe you only heard a small part of what was said? So now I'm left to wonder what part? What was it that sent you running?"

"I did not run!" he protested, "I went back home to my responsibilities."

"In the middle of the night. Draco really what did you hear?"

"Leave it Hermione. I needed space. I needed to get away from him for a while."

"You really are falling for him again," she mused.

He hung his head, "It doesn't matter. It would never work for so many reasons."

She pushed in front of him to look him directly in the eyes, "You have to talk to him. Tell him how you feel."

He shook his head, "It's better this way."

"Merlin save me from stubborn males," she sighed.

"Trouble with your husband?"

"Sure change the subject. Don't think I won't continue to try and get you and Harry to talk."

"You can try," he said, "but it's not worth wasting your time. Now really how are you? This isn't just about you trying to get Harry and I to talk is it? You're trying to make someone have a relationship that works because yours isn't evidenced by the fact that you're still living here."

Again she raised an eyebrow, "And do I need to be here for this conversation?"

"It's up to you, and you don't have to tell me anything it's not like we're that close but if you need an ear well... I'm here."

"Thank you. Right now we're seeing a counselor, but it doesn't seem to be doing us any good. I have a feeling we're headed for divorce and it hurts but I also know I can't live with him like this."

"I'm sorry. I hope you can find a solution that makes you happy."

"Me too. Thanks for listening."

"No problem."

"You know if you lived here still we could talk like this more often. You could always Floo to France for the weekends or a few days a week. No reason you can't live in both places."

"No," he said simply.

"Fine, be that way. I'll figure something out to get you two to talk like you need to."

"Really Hermione just let it be. It honestly is better this way. I'll start coming back around to see Harry I just need time. My heart needs time."

She sighed again, shook her head, and moved to leave the room, "Whatever, I'll let you get to work."

As she reached the door he spoke again, "If I asked you not to tell Harry about our conversation it would be futile right."

"Yes."

"I thought so."


	29. three conversations

"Mione, what are you doing home so early? Where's Hugo? I don't hear him?" Harry asked as he stepped through the Floo finding her sitting curled up in her usual chair with a book.

"He's with Molly." she said as she set her book aside, "I asked her to pick him up from school today. He so rarely gets to spend time alone with her or Arthur, and none of the other grandkids were going to be there today. She'll send him home after dinner."

"He'll be so wound up he won't sleep for hours then he'll pass out and you'll have to drag him out of bed in the morning," Harry commented.

She laughed, "Probably but it's worth it to see him so happy. Besides Ron is going over for dinner and it will be good for Hugo to spend more time with his dad. He doesn't see him nearly often enough. He may not be a good husband lately but he has always been a good father."

"He is that. So you came home early to enjoy some time to yourself?"

She shook her head, "Actually I've been here all day. I didn't go to work after taking Hugo to school."

He looked at her and went to pour himself a glass of Firewhiskey, drinking it down before turning back and gesturing for her to continue. When she didn't say anything he sat down across from her and said, "You stayed to talk to Draco."

"Yes."

"Why? What was the point?"

"I wanted to find out why he left."

"He didn't want to be here anymore. It's as simple as that."

She leaned forward in the chair, "But it's not, he has feelings for you Harry."

"Yeah and he knows just how to show them, by running away."

"He overheard part of our conversation that night."

"What did he hear?"

"He wouldn't tell me, but whatever it is convinced him that there was no chance of there being anything more than friendship between the two of you."

Harry twisted his lips and sat back in his chair closing his eyes, "He's probably right."

She groaned, "You don't believe that any more than he doesn't want to believe that. You should go talk to him."

"He doesn't want to talk to me or he'd be here when I'm here. He never replied to the letter I sent him. It's probably better this way. Just let it go Hermione."

"UGH! You two even say the same things.Fine both of you can be miserable for all I care."

He sat forward and took her hand, "Thanks for caring Mione. Love you sis."

"Love you too you big lunkhead."

Harry was sitting on his bed going over some paperwork when a little head popped in the door.

"Uncle Harry, Mum made cookies. Grandma W's chocolate chip cookies and they're really really good. You should come down and have some with us."

Harry stifled a laugh at his nephew's excitement showing itself in the bouncing and giant smile. "I'll be right there pipsqueak."

"Uncle Harry, I am NOT a pipsqueak."

"Whatever you say little man."

"Uncle Harry if you keep calling me things like that I'm going to eat all the cookies and not save you any."

"Oh no don't squirt," Harry crossed the floor in two quick stride grabbing his now giggling nephew as the boy ran for the stairs. He tickled the boy a bit before setting him on the floor and challenging him to race to the kitchen.

Hermione smiled as the two came barrelling into the kitchen, but her face turned quizzical as she looked at Harry.

After tucking Hugo in and kissing him goodnight she made her way upstairs to Harry's room where she stood in the doorway.

"What's up Mione?" he asked looking up from the parchments strewn across his bed.

"You look comfortable," she said.

He laughed, "Yeah I decided I'd rather work here for a change. The bed is definitely more comfortable than the chairs in the drawing room."

"And you have the advantage of not being in a room where you spent time with Draco so you're not surrounded by memories," she said knowingly.

He cringed at being read so easily, "Just for a bit Mione, just until I move past whatever this was."

"You're going to move past it wearing Slytherin pyjama pants?"

"Al sent them to me," he said ducking his head.

She raised an eyebrow, "Really? They look awfully worn in. When did he send them to you? It would have had to be after you moved here. And why haven't I seen them before now? And why oh why dear friend, why would your Gryffindor son send you a pair of Slytherin pants?"

He frowned, "Fine they're Draco's. I found them in a drawer in the room when I went through it after he left. I was going to send him anything he missed but…"

"Are you sure they're Draco's?"

"Who else could they belong to?"

"Regulus."

"No," he shook his head, "Kreacher and I went through and cleaned out all of the rooms when I moved back in. Every drawer, every closet, under every bed, all of the clothes I sent to McGonagall to give to students who might need them or to be used for costumes considering how old some of them were. Somehow in his rush to leave Draco left these."

"And now you're wearing them. Harry you have to go talk to him. Go to his place in France and talk to him."

He shook his head, "There's no reason. If he wanted to see me he would. He comes during the day so he doesn't have to see me."

"Because he doesn't," she stopped scowled and continued, "I wasn't going to tell you this but he has feelings for you. He's afraid of getting hurt when you decide you just want to be friends."

"Maybe he's right."

"Harry! You're sitting here in your bed wearing the man's pants, pants you for some reason you can't define didn't send back to him. You care for him as much as he cares for you. He was so worried about being hurt and convinced he was going to be he ran. You're scared because this is so new; this is something you never expected, and you're just as scared as he is. One of you has to be brave and it's going to have to be you."

She came in the room, sat on the bed across from him, took his hands and squeezed them, "You're my brother, the one I never had, and I love you. I want you to be happy and you're not right now. You have to at least try or you will always wonder. Go to France. Don't just wait here for him to come again make a bold move and go to him."

"I think it's a mistake but I'll go if for no other reason than to prove to you it's a mistake."

She fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Fine go to prove me wrong, but go."

"I will, I will. Now go to bed and leave me be. I've got plans to make and thoughts to organize."

She stood, kissed him on the forehead, and said, "Goodnight."

"Hello?" Harry called as he stepped into the small healers building in the little village he had apparated into. It had taken three days to arrange the Portkey and get directions for an apparition and another to be sure his duties were covered while he was gone. He had also been sure to arrive as early as possible in case Draco decided today to go to Grimmauld Place. He hadn't been there since Hermione had waited for him. Harry had asked Kreacher each day.

"Potter what are you doing here?" Draco said as he came into the front room telling himself he imagined Harry's cringe when he called the brunette by his last name.

"I came to talk to you."

"It couldn't have waited two weeks until the boys are home?"

"No, it really couldn't. Is there someplace we can talk in private?"

Draco nodded, "Follow me, but I hope this won't take long because I have work to do."

Harry bit his tongue to keep from commenting that he would be getting more work done if he would stay in France. That was not the way he wanted to start this conversation, if he still felt the friendship he had just a month ago he would have teased the man, but that comfortable feeling was gone.

Draco led Harry into a large room cabinets and shelving lined the walls except for a large picture window looking out over a small wood in the distance. Throughout the center of the room there were several cauldrons, at least three of which were steaming.

"How do you keep track of all of this at once? I see potions in what six cauldrons."

"Don't you often have more than one case you're working on at once?"

"Well yes but it's not the same thing."

"Maybe not," Draco said as turned away to bottle the nearest potion, "but it's close. Now, what did you come here for?"

"I miss you!" Harry exclaimed then flushed bright read and ducked his head, "that wasn't...I… bloody hell it's the truth though. I miss coming home at the end of the day and laughing with you over Hugo's antics, or the latest letter from one of our boys, hearing about your newest discovery in your research, and just sitting together drinking a glass of Firewhiskey."

Draco clenched his jaw momentarily before replying, "Sorry I left you in such a lurch Potter. Didn't realize you'd been so lonely that you were desperate enough to want to spend time with me. Besides you have Granger."

"That's not even close to the same thing Draco."

"No it's not, she's actually your oldest friend. We're just acquaintances and barely that. You just happen to be the father of my son's best friend. Nothing to go getting all whiny about."

Harry fought to keep an even tone, "Really that's all? I know that's not all for me. You are at the very least my friend, and Hermione seemed to be pretty sure that there was more to it for you as well."

"Granger has clearly misunderstood something or is desperately trying to make up for her own failing marriage by pairing up other people."

"That was just low Draco and totally uncalled for."

Draco sighed quietly, "You're right. I apologize but she did misunderstand."

"So you really came home to France in the middle of the night in a rush just to get back to work and then spend every weekday for three weeks back at mine to work on your research? That just doesn't make sense."

"Think whatever you like Potter-"

Harry strode across the room, grabbed Draco by the arm and spun him around causing the blonde to catch his breath as his heart started racing, "Enough, deny it all you want but something happened, you felt something. That night Hermione came if nothing else. And stop fucking calling me by my last name damn it! My name is Harry use it!"

Draco's breath was ragged as he replied, "What does it matter if there was something that night? You said yourself that Ginevra was wrong."

Harry smacked his forehead, "That's what you overheard. How much else did you hear?"

"Enough to know it was time to go."

Harry dropped both hands to his sides, "I was telling Hermione that I'd gone on a date with another bloke and it wasn't...it didn't... "

"You don't like men," Draco said simply unable to complete keep the sadness from his voice.

"Not in general no."

"So I was right to go," Draco replied. "You're right we were friends. We might be again at some point but not right now. And I really did need to get back here and get back to work. I need to get back to work now or at least two of these potions will be ruined. You can go now. Tell Hermione that you came and talked to me."

"I don't want to go now. No I'm not attracted to men. I am attracted to you, though at this moment I'm questioning my sanity," he looked closer at the blonde seeing the fatigue showing on the man's face, the circles under his eyes, and wanted to force him to sit, to take it easy. He had to resist the urge to grab the man and hold him, tell him everything would be okay.

"You aren't attracted to men but you are attracted to me? That makes absolutely no sense as I am most definitely male. I think you might need to see a mind healer," Draco replied wryly.

"So do I have to make an appointment with you or what?" Harry joked.

Draco rolled his eyes, "Ha, ha, ha."

Harry shook his head, "Look I don't get it either. It doesn't make any sense to me but it's real. I miss you. I dream about you and they're not safe to be shared at work dreams. Come home Draco."

"I am home."

"You were just as at home in London at Grimmauld. You could be again."

It was Draco's turn to shake his head, "It's not going to happen. This is my home. This is Scorpius's home. This is where Mother spends most of her time anymore. My job is here. My life is here."

"Then maybe I should move here."

"You can't do that. I'm pretty sure the Ministry would frown on one of their employees living in a different country. Go home," Draco paused refusing to call Harry by his first name but not wanting to set the man off by using his last name. He continued in as flat and emotionless a voice as he could, "just go home. I'll see you in two weeks when the boys are home. They want to come here this time it seems and our ex wives have already arranged it all. I'm surprised you haven't heard as I assume you would have to take time off. Go home and let go of this adolescent worthy whatever this is. There is nothing between us and there will be nothing between us."

"Draco-"

"Nothing."

"Fine. I'll go home but the door is always open. This is not going to just go away though so we'll have this conversation again in two weeks. Don't think hiding here is going to help you or that you can hide somewhere else. First off none of the women will let you and secondly even if you can get past them I'll find you because no matter what you think there is something here and we are NOT done with this!" With that Harry turned and stalked out of the room muttering about stubborn idiots under his breath the whole way.

Draco sunk back against the counter behind him nerves buzzing everything trembling, reminding himself this was for the best. He had just risen when the brunette came storming back into the room.

"One more thing," Harry said reaching up, running his hand through the blonde hair, pulling Draco's head down to his, and pressing his lips firmly onto the other man's. He stepped back, dropping his hand to his side, turning, and walking out without another word.


	30. Easter Break

"Harry kissed him?" Ginny squealed, "I knew it! I knew it! I knew he would fall for Draco. They make the perfect couple. it was just a matter of time."

"Gin, really?" Hermione sighed and fought not to roll her eyes, "You weren't totally right you know."

"Oh I know, I know Mione. You don't have to go all 'I told you so' on me. But I was right about he and Draco falling for each other."

"Actually as I recall I was the one that made that suggestion first," Astoria put in.

"Girls, girls, please," Narcissa held up a hand to catch the attention of the other three, "please let's get back on topic. What are we going to do to get these two boys to realize they're perfect for each other?"

"You mean what are we going to do to make Draco realize it?" Hermione asked, "because Harry and I have talked every day this week and he's sure about his feelings but he's at as much of a loss as we are about what to do."

"Hermione dear," Narcissa said, "please tell us everything you know about this situation. Then Astoria you must tell us what you have managed to get out of Draco if you please."

After both ladies had nodded, they all sat back in their chairs and listened to the tales.

"So really Harry is ready to try but Draco is resisting," Ginny summed it all up.

"No shock there really," Hermione said, "Harry has always been one to rush into things which could easily lead to Draco being worried about this being merely impulse and not something more."

Narcissa stifled a sigh, "My son has always been more stubborn than he ought, frequently cutting off his nose to spite his face. They will both be here next week for the children's Easter Break correct?"

Astoria nodded, "Yes, I've invited everyone to stay at our home. There is plenty of room as you know. I had thought of putting Harry in a room right next to Draco and everyone else on the other side of the house."

"It's a start," Ginny said, "but I think it will take more than that. Maybe we should all play a game of Quidditch together. Draco did say he loved the sight of Harry on a broom and he's right Harry's arse is fabulous."

Hermione groaned, "The kids will go for that and Harry and Draco might as well but I don't know that that will do it either. I fear instead that that will send Draco running. I have a better idea. I was looking up games we could play to keep the kids engaged and occupied-"

"Of course you were," Ginny interrupted. She didn't actually roll her eyes but you could hear it in her voice, "They're kids Mione they'll keep themselve occupied and if they wind up in a bit of trouble so what."

Hermione just started at Ginny until the ginger looked away, "As I was saying, I was looking into games and I found one that I think is perfect of course the boys will have to talk the men into playing and we'll have to as well, but it will have to be the boys that ask. Specifically Scorpius will have to ask Draco and if it goes as I imagine it will at some point…"

The women put their heads together listening closely to Hermione's plan and shared a slow smile when she finished.

* * *

"Dad," Scorpius called as he ran down the hall to his father's room, "Dad!"

Draco sighed and opened the door, ths break had been utterly exhausting. Every time he sat down or found time to be alone someone was calling to him to do something else together. It was clearly a plot by the women to keep he and Harry in the same room and that damned Potter seemed to be either completely oblivious or totally on board and he wasn't sure he wanted to know which one it was.

"What do you need son? I have work I need to finish up."

"Dad we have a new game to try," Scorpius said nearly out of breath from running down the hall.

Draco took a deep breath before replying, "I really need to work Scorp. I'll catch up with you all at dinner."

"Aw Dad come on, just for a little while and then you can work all night, you won't even have to come to dinner. It's a game like Hide and Seek but not, it's more fun. We've already played for a bit and I really want you to come try it."

Draco was well aware that he was being played by his son as much as by the myriad of females in the house but he nodded his assent anyway. He'd do nearly anything to make his son happy and to get some time to himself for a while, away from that blasted brunette who kept looking at him so expectantly. He was thinking his lucky stars that Harry hadn't managed to get him alone as he had worried that the man would. He was also quite surprised that it hadn't happened. He had expected to be dogged by Potter every chance the man got but while the man watched him he didn't actually try to talk to him.

"So tell me about this game Scorp."

"Well first there is NO MAGIC!" Scorpius said emphatically, "because that's just cheating and besides it wouldn't really work right just like it doesn't for Hide and Seek."

"So how is this game like Hide and Seek?"

"Well people hide and people look for them," Scorpius explained.

Draco resisted the urge to roll his eyes at himself for asking his often literal child that question, "And how is it different?"

"So instead of everyone hiding and one person seeking, only one person hides and everyone else seeks."

"And the person to find the hiding person is the winner?"

"No," Scorpius sighs, "Dad, let me finish please."

"Go ahead."

"Ok, so the It person hides and everyone else has to try and find them. When you find the hidden person you have to hide with them, which means you have to be really quiet when you find someone. You don't want to give away the hiding place. The game keeps going until there's only one person left still looking and it doesn't end until they find everyone else. Then the game starts again and the last person becomes the hider and everyone has to find them. While they go hide everyone else stays in the place where they were all hiding before so it can't be used again right away. We all count out loud together to 20 and the hider has to hide by then, make sense?"

Draco nodded, "Yes, are there any rules about hiding places?"

"Not really," Scorpius said, "but the name of the game is sardines so we've been trying to hide in smaller places. But, but, but you know that big empty room, the extra one in the middle of Mum's hall. Hugo hid in there. He sat against the wall behind the door, it took us forever to all find him. James was last and it was so funny because he kept running by the room. He even looked in the room and didn't see or hear us and no one used a Silencing spell. Finally we all just started laughing and that was when he found us. He told Hugo it was a bloody brilliant hiding place and then took off to try to beat all of us. AND we've been trying not to hide in the same placesa second time but since you don't know what those places are it really won't matter, and we haven't hidden anywhere in your wing yet so someone may try that. I think that's it."

James had been a surprise. Draco didn't know who it was that had spoken to the child Ginny or Harry, or maybe if he'd just finally seen what his son was actually like. They did live in the same house. Whatever it was that had caused the change he was thrilled as Scorpius had written home to tell him that since James decided he was okay so had everyone else and between that and the fact that he had spent so much time in the Great Harry Potter's house he was finally fully accepted into Gryffindor.

"Ok then, let's try this out."

"Here he is," Scorpius called as he walked into the sitting room with his father.

"I'm It!" yelled Rose, "Start counting!"

As she ran from the room everyone started counting to 20 fairly slowly. Draco looked around the room and his jaw dropped when he saw that his mother was participating. It seemed to agree with her as well judging by the glow in her cheeks and sparkle in her eyes.

"18...19...20! Here we come!" The children took off at a run; the adults moving only slightly slower, leaving Draco standing staring for a moment before he realized he needed to get moving. Back and forth through the house, up and down stairs, crossing paths with various people he kept moving, noticing the house getting quieter and quieter as he went, and he saw fewer and fewer people. Finally he stood near the center of the house in the hallway outside the kitchen totally still, just listening, he wouldn't use any spells as he had promised but he let his breath and heart beat slow and just listened. He heard a giggle from his left so he crept as slowly and silently in that direction as he could, stopping every few steps to listen again. Soon he heard whispering and the sound of shushing. He whipped open the door to the pantry and laughed at the crowd squeezed into the space that was smaller than he had realized.

"Guess this means I'm IT huh?" he asked with his eyebrow raised, turning and moving rapidly to the hallway as the rest began counting. Slipping off his shoes as sock feet are quieter and moved quickly down the hallway and up the stairs, until he arrived at an unused guest room at the very end of Astoria's wing. This particular room had a walk-in closet that would be the perfect size, and as it was filled with out of season clothes it would be harder for him to be seen amongest them. He arranged a few winter cloaks on the floor then settled down in his nest to wait. With no wand and no watch he lost track of time listening to the distant shouting, the footsteps up and down the hall, and the occasional person entering the room but not going to the closet. He had settled back against the wall and was running through his potions ingredients inventory in his head when the closet door finally opened.

The person whose hand was on the door stood back allowing the light to flow into the closet, apparently spotting Draco in the corner they stepped in and closed the door.

"Budge over and share the comfort, I have a feeling we'll be here a while."

"Potter?" Of course, Draco thought, the one person he didn't want to be stuck alone with was the exact person who found him.

"Why the shock?" Harry whispered.

"I just… I don't know. How did you find me and no one else has yet?" Draco spoke normally hoping someone would hear him so they would no longer be alone.

"Of course not, everyone else is convinced that you have some perfect hiding spot they don't know about over in your wing."

"But I've heard people come through this hall, even into the room."

"Probably the women, I think the kids are all staying on the other side."

"So why wouldn't they come in?"

"They're trying to let the kids have most of the fun. They'll hide with others but we've been trying to be sure that we have to start the round as often as the kids do so the kids don't get discouraged."

"So how did you know I was here?" Draco asked, genuinely curious.

"Where else would you be?" Harry replied.

Draco went ahead and rolled his eyes knowing it wouldn't be seen, "Yes, because that makes perfect sense."

"Since no one has yet hidden in your side of the house, that is naturally where everyone will assume you've hidden as there are a whole host of new places. Knowing that that would be the first place everyone would look it would be the last place you would hide. Also knowing that most everywhere that could be used as a hiding place has probably been used and that we're trying not to reuse places you would pretty quickly run through the possible places available here on Astoria's side and pick one that would be less obvious."

"And you just knew this is where I'd be?" disbelief rang in Draco's voice.

"Well it is where I would hide so I thought I'd see if you'd come up with the same idea."

Before Draco could respond a small click sounded from the front of the closet.

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Harry asked.

"That click," Draco said as he stood and moved to the door, "it's locked."

"The door?"

"No, Potter, the window in the room I can see through the door, yes the door you dolt."

Harry came to stand next to the blond placing his hand on the doorknob over Draco's who rapidly pulled his away.

"It is."

"Really it's a wonder you weren't in Ravenclaw," Draco drolled.

"But why is it locked?"

"The women," Draco said simply then, "wait is this room shrinking?"

"What?" Harry turned and reached out his hands, "I think it is. I can stand here and touch the back wall now and it's getting closer."

"As are the side walls, there's barely room to do anything any more but stand. This is a set-up, now you try to convince me you weren't in on it," Draco accused.

"What?" Harry yelled, "Why would I do that? Have I shown in any way that I would do something like this? That I would participate in something like this? Have I ever been the type that was this sneaky and underhanded?"

"You may not have been in school but you are an Auror now so you must have learned to be sneaky to catch suspects."

Harry clenched his fists and his jaw, taking deep breaths in and out through his nose before responding, "You are correct that I use those techniques when necessary in my job, however I do not use them in the rest of my life, particularly not on people I care about as I find that to be disrespectful. Had I known that the ladies had planned this I would have avoided finding you altogether. In case you hadn't noticed I have given you plenty of room this week. I have not come near you. Clearly you need more time to think about how you feel and where you want this to go."

"There is no this," Draco said flatly.

"Denial is useless when the truth is obvious," Harry replied.

"What is obvious is that you no longer feel the same or you wouldn't be giving me space. You'd be dogging my every step. You clearly were confused by your ex-wife and her suggestion about your questionable heterosexuality. If you really had any feelings for me you wouldn't leave me alone. Yet I haven't even heard from you since you came to the clinic. It was our wives that arranged this week. Since you've been here you've barely looked at me much less tried to interact with me," Draco lied through his teeth knowing how much he had been watched, "Whatever you thought you felt wasn't real."

"Wasn't real huh?" Harry asked, reaching out and taking Draco's hand pressing it against the erection that was straining his denims, "Tell me this isn't real. Tell me you don't feel the same." He placed his other hand behind Draco's neck and pulled him in kissing him hard.

Draco resisted at first, pulling back as much as he could but failing. When Harry pushed him against the wall and ground their erections together the blond groaned and began kissing back with vigor. Lips traveled over lips, jaws, necks, teeth nipped, breaths became heavier. Hands roamed under shirts, over ribs, up backs, teasing nipples, groans filled the air.

"We should…we can't...this…"

"Shut up Draco." Harry's hands slid down, grabbing the other man by the ass, squeezing, he continued grinding, reveling in the feel of the hardness against his.

"Harry...I," Draco panted.

"Me too."

"Don't stop."

"Wasn't...planning...to."

With a final thrust Harry hit the edge and fell over cumming in hot spurts in his pants. His final groan of release sent Draco over as well and he came with a shout. The two collapsed against each other trying to catch their breath.

"Told you this was real," Harry whispered in Draco's ear.

Draco felt his heart begin to race again, this couldn't be, it wouldn't last. His breath sped up as his thoughts raced and he began to panic, finally he shoved Harry away hard, "Get off me Potter! And keep your bloody hands off of me. I will not be your experiment. So you got off, big fucking deal! It doesn't mean anything!"

Harry shook his head frustration put gravel in his voice, "And the fact that I've woken up nearly daily and had to change the sheets since you left means nothing either does it. I haven't had so many wet dreams since I was a teenager. Hell I'm not sure I had this many then, and they all star you!"

"Sex, it's all about sex. Life is more than sex."

"Draco," Harry said quietly as he stepped forward, reaching a hand out to caress the blond's cheek, "it's not-"

"Save it! Don't bother! Just leave me the fuck alone!" Draco shouted, his magic reacting the door flew open and he ran.


	31. resolution?

Draco went straight to his room then off to the clinic where he stayed almost the entirety of the rest of the week, coming home only late at night and leaving again early. Making an exception to say goodbye to Scorpius as he packed to leave. He refused to answer the door when anyone came to see him.

"What have I done?" he said over and over to himself. Unable to find an answer he buried himself in work not coming up for air until two weeks later when he found Astoria in his room when he arrived home.

"I don't want to talk about it!" he growled.

"I know," she said simply.

"Then why are you here?"

"To make sure you read this," she held out a roll of parchment, "and to offer my apology and an apology on behalf of Ginny, Hermione, and your mother. None of us meant to cause either of the two of you any pain. We just thought you'd be happier together than apart. I don't know what happened in that closet."

He huffed at that.

"I don't, neither do any of the other women. Harry disappeared to his room as fast as you did. While he came back out and continued to interact with the rest of us he refused to say anything about it. Hermione has tried to get him to talk since then, and he won't. Whatever it was neither of you is happy. Read this, allow the rest of us to grovel, and at least find your way back to a friendship with Harry. You were happier then. No that no matter what I'm here if you need to talk, and I am capable of just listening." She pushed the parchment into his hand, pushed him into a chair, and brushed a kiss to his cheek as she left.

She stopped at the door just long enough to turn and say once again, "Read," before she walked away closing the door behind her.

He held the parchment in his hand knowing exactly who it had come from he contemplated burning it, or tearing it into tiny pieces. He was afraid to open it, afraid of what it would say. Acknowledging the fear gave him the push he needed to unroll and do exactly as his ex wife had said to do.

Draco,

I don't know where to begin. I feel utterly ashamed. I forced myself on you and no matter your eventual reaction it was just wrong. I can't apologize enough. You would be well within your rights to report me to the authorities, and I would understand if you never spoke to me again unless absolutely necessary when it has to do with Albus and Scorpius.

You seem to be under the impression that for me you are an experiment. I tried that experiment, that was the conversation you overheard; that was what I tried to tell you. When I came to see you at work I tried to tell you how I felt about you but I wasn't doing the best job of expressing myself and you weren't listening. I am not just attracted to you. I mean I am attracted to you, obviously, but not just physically.

I do dream about you. Not every dream is sexual though. I've had dreams where we are just sitting and playing chess as we have many times, dreams where we sit next to one another on the couch watching movies, ones where we're sitting together at the weddings of our children. To be honest some of those are day dreams. I find myself sitting at work mind drifting and invariably it drifts to some situation where you and I are together, and not just friends. I find my mind drifting at work more and more often lately, and not just because I'm thinking of you. You once asked me if being an auror was not all I expected it to be. When I first started out it was. I enjoyed the job, or at least I felt that what I was doing was important. I put in ridiculously long hours that were definitely part of what led to my divorce. I'm on track to be the youngest Head Auror in Ministry history but I don't know that I want to be Head Auror. I'm not sure I even want to be an auror anymore. No one else knows that. I haven't shared how I feel about that with anyone, not even Hermione and she's been my best friend for decades. The thing is I'm not sure anyone else would understand. You though, I know you will and I don't know why I just do. I feel closer to you in a short time than I do to even Hermione after all this time.

I do more paperwork than field work these days, but neither makes me feel satisfied. I've been trying to figure out what else I might do with myself if I were to leave the aurors. I could transfer to another department in the Ministry but I'd surely have to start at the bottom besides I don't really have any interest in anything else. I've actually kind of had it with the government. I suppose I could hold out until after the election for Minister but no matter who wins, I just don't see any major changes happening. George has been asking both Ron and I to come work with him in the shop for years. Ron won't do it; he's just too stubborn and he still loves being an auror. Working in the shop might be fun but I don't know how how long that would last. It's been suggested that when I retired I could open a private investigator agency but that just seems like doing much of what I do now.

There is one possibility that has intrigued me, the only thing that keeps me from thinking of you. Neville wrote to me not long ago and in the midst of all his other news mentioned that the Defense Against the Dark Arts position at Hogwarts will be open again next year. I guess Aceron has decided that ten years is long enough. Teaching could be the solution for me. The best time I've had in the past few years at work was when I was training new aurors. I suppose I could just request to make that my permanent position. That might be the best plan. While I'd enjoy being back at Hogwarts, teaching my own children might not go well. I don't know and I wish I could talk this over with someone. No, not with someone, with you. You would have the answer for me. You would be able to talk it through with me until it made sense or even just listen, but without your ear and your input I just don't know.

This is the thing coming home at the end of the day and not seeing you, not talking to you, it's not right. My days don't end right any more. I feel a bit lost or at least that I have lost something. I don't know that I had realized just how much a part of my life you had become. Hermione will listen to me; she talks to me but it's not the same and again I can't explain why except that with her it's like talking to my sister, which she really is, and with you it's more than that. It's more than talking to a friend. I was happier when you were here, even when we weren't talking. Just sitting in the same room each doing our own thing, I was happier.

I've been asking myself the same question over and over again, quite possibly the same question you've asked yourself, or not if you really don't believe that I care about you. Anyway, I've been asking myself would I have ever thought of you as more than a friend if you hadn't told me what Ginny said? Honestly, probably not, or at least it would have taken me much longer, too long. Clearly it took me too long anyway. There may be nothing I can do to convince you that I really do have feelings for you. I don't have any idea what I can say to even make you consider it all I can do is say it and keep saying it, if you'll even read any letters I send.

I think I'm falling in love you with you Draco. It's as simple and complicated as that. I want to be with you and not just sleep with you. I want to have a relationship with you. I want to try. I know you believe in love. I know you want to be married again. I know you want more than a sexual relationship. I'll take a vow of celibacy and not touch you at all if you'll just give me a chance to prove myself to you. Please Draco, please let me prove myself to you. Please let's try to be an us.

Yours,

Harry

P.S. I finished this last night and didn't want to send it then, thinking it would be better to go out in the light of day. I had another dream last night. You and I together at Hogwarts, now, not when we were kids. I took on the DADA job and you were the new potions professor. I didn't mention that in the letter but Nev tells me that job will be open as well. I'm sure you would be excellent at the job. Anyway, we were sharing quarters, comparing notes on the students, basically just being happy. It's a future I can see clearly. The question is can you?

Draco slid down into the chair at the desk in his room, reading and rereading the letter. He didn't want to believe what he was reading. Potter in love with him, falling in love with him. He fought the hope that was building in him. This was danger at its most fatal to his heart. If he gave in, if he went to Harry, if they tried, what if they failed? He didn't know if his heart would survive. He had cared for the boy in school much as he tried to hide it. Yes it had been mostly sexual attraction but there was always something more. Watching Harry go through the Triwizard tournament had been a study in apprehension and worry. Seeing Harry in Hagrid's arms, hearing Voldemort declare that Harry was dead had nearly killed him. Was he brave enough to risk his heart? He just didn't know.

Harry was sitting in his favorite chair by the fire several evenings later reviewing a pro and con list he had made to try and help him decide if he should leave his job when the flames turned green.

"You're late," he said without looking up, figuring it was Hermione, "Kreacher saved supper for you, it's on the stove in the kitchen."

"Thanks but I don't think I could eat right now," Draco said quietly.

Harry's eyes went wide as his head jerked up and his jaw dropped.

"Draco, you're here."

"Very observant Potter," Draco smirked, "And yes Harry I am late, but am I too late?"

Harry set aside the parchment, and stood slowly but moved no closer, "No," he said simply.

"Good."

"Was this a test?" Harry asked.

"A test?"

"What if I'd said you were too late? Would that have proven to you that I don't care about you, that I don't have feelings for you?"

"No, not necessarily," Draco replied, "well maybe but not intentionally. Everyone has their limits on waiting. I could have reached mine with you."

"Not this fast Draco. I won't lie and say that at some point I would have grown tired of waiting and ended up angry with you but I understand why you feel the way you do and even if I had gotten frustrated or downright furious I would get over it if you would give me the time."

"You can be quite convincing when you want to. And articulate, though that seems to work better for you in writing."

Harry raised an eyebrow, "Convincing?"

Draco held up the letter.

"I didn't know if you would even read that."

"Tori insisted," Draco said, "I think if she hadn't been sure I would read it she wouldn't have left me alone. Actually I'm not so sure she wasn't watching me in some way to be sure I did. Still it took me a few days thinking before I got up enough courage to come here."

"Courage?"

"I wasn't a Gryffindor remember."

"Really we're going to go back to school houses? Like only Gryffs were ever brave and courageous."

"Speaking of houses, you seem to be wearing the wrong pants there," Draco observed.

Harry's cheeks flamed, "Must have grabbed the wrong ones when I got dressed. You left these behind and I washed them. Meant to bring them over Easter but I forgot."

"Really?"

"Well you did leave them behind and I did wash them, but no I'm wearing them on purpose as I have every time since you left. Your turn."

"My turn?"

"Why did you need courage to come back?"

Draco sighed and sat down in the chair across from Harry, "I'm terrified if you must know."

"Terrified?" Harry sank back into his chair, "Of what?"

"Of you."

"Me?"

"Of us, of this not lasting. I believe you ok. I believe that you actually have feelings for me. I'm afraid of what happens if it doesn't work out. You mean more to me than I wanted you to mean. I tried to keep my feelings under wraps. I tried not to fall for you. Being attracted to you is just a natural state for me since we were nearly kids, but actually having feelings for you," Draco shook his head. "It's dumb. I didn't want to risk losing you so I thought it was better not to even try."

Harry laughed ruefully, "That is dumb but I can understand it. So then why are you here? Just to tell me that or are you willing to try now?"

"Yes."

"What changed your mind?"

Draco again held up the letter.

"So what specifically in that letter? I didn't think anything in there was anything more than I'd tried to say before."

"It's different when you read it. When it's there in front of you to read again and again. You did try to tell me and I didn't listen. I don't know. Maybe it was the promise of you taking a vow of celibacy," the grey eyes sparkled.

"I mean that, I do mean that. I'll do it. It wouldn't be easy but I can keep my hands and everything else to myself."

Draco laughed, "I believe you would. It wasn't really that, though the offer did impress me. I think it was the daydreams you mentioned. I've had many of the same ones. It was you confiding in me about your job when you haven't told anyone else. By the way I think you would make an outstanding professor. Didn't all you members of Dumbledore's Army score Outstandings on the DADA O.W.L. practical? And you were the one teaching them all right? As for teaching your own children and your myriad nieces and nephews. I don't see that being a problem for any of them but James and you could straighten him out pretty quick I'd wager. It could actually be the perfect job for you, though I think you could certainly take over and enjoy the Auror training program as well, or if you're really worried about getting away from the Ministry and working with your kids then you could open a private school to teach adults defensive spells that they didn't master in school. Or maybe open a school for private investigators. You may not want to do that job yourself but you could teach others how to do it and keep them on the right side of the Ministry let them know when it's time to step out and let the professionals take it over. Whatever you want to do, I'd support you. Though if you're asking my opinion…"

Harry nodded.

"I'd say Hogwarts is the place for you. Teach Defense, maybe flying, or give Quidditch lessons, but don't let anyone talk you into taking on Head of House duties. The job is yours if you want it."

The brunette's eyes went wide, "How do you know that?"

"I made a stop there before coming here. Spent some time talking to McGonagall."

"About me and the DADA position?"

"No, well that really wasn't the reason I went. I was curious when you mentioned the potions position. While you said it would be perfect for me and it definitely sparked my curiosity I didn't think I would be qualified as am not a potions master. I owled McGonagall to ask her about it and she invited me to come up and speak with her in person. I got there to find that she had contacted Robert. She offered me the position and any help she can give to help me become a full potions master and healer. It seems Madame Pomfrey is planning to retire in the next few years and while they will hire a full time healer it would be appreciated if she had assistance in the meantime. While we were talking she mentioned the DADA position, asked if I might know anyone who would be interested. I told her I'd think about it and then asked if she had contacted you. She said she didn't think you would leave the aurors which was unfortunate because you would be perfect for the job. So…"

"We could both take jobs there and live...live where exactly?"

"Typically professors live in the castle and Minerva-"

"Minerva?"

"Well if you're going to work there they you're going to have to call her by her first name, may as well start practicing now. Anyway she said there are a few houses in Hogsmeade that we could rent. Neville lives there since Hannah is running the Three Broomsticks now. You probably knew that though. If either or both of us were to choose not to live in the castle there would still be times we'd have to be there late to be on duty but nothing like the Heads do."

"Are you seriously considering taking the job?"

"Whether you do or not, yes," Draco replied, "but I'd rather you come with me. There's a great little house on the outskirts of town on the way to the castle. The kids could come by on their visits to town and we'd only need to stay there during the school year. Actually we'd have to live here or in France because that little house only has one bedroom. Not that we'd need much more spending most of our days at school and eating there."

"Wait," Harry said eyes wide, "you're saying we'd live together."

Draco laughed, "Harry we've already loved together for months."

"In the same house is not the same as together," Harry argued.

"We could find a place with two bedrooms if you'd like, if I'm moving too fast for you."

"It's not that exactly, it's more of how fast you changed your mind. You went from terrified and not wanting me anywhere near you. I believe your exact words were 'keep your F hands off me Potter' and now you're suddenly getting to two of us jobs in the same place, finding us a place to live, and talking about sharing a bedroom. It's a bit of a headsnapper."

"You need some time to catch up."

"Processing time, yes, just a minute or five."

Draco laughed again, "Take all the time you need. You'll end up where I am."

"You're pretty confident."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Harry shook his head, "So now this is a challenge for you?"

"No," Draco slid off the chair and onto his knees in front of Harry, taking the other man's face in his hands, "I just finally understand that some things are worth the risk." With that he rose up, looked Harry in the eyes, and gently pressed their lips together.

When they pulled apart a moment later Harry rested his forehead against Draco's, "So you're going to have to help me with this. I clearly suck at relationships."

Draco laughed and pulled Harry into his arms, "I'll do anything and everything I can to make sure this works."

"So will I."


	32. epilogue

Harry was sitting in his chair near the fire once again, with yet another piece of parchment in one hand, this time with a quill in the other.

The Floo flared to life and Hermione stepped through, dropped her bag on the floor, took two steps and collapsed into the chair across from Harry, rolling her head back to rest on the cushion, closing her eyes, and sighing.

"Long day?" Harry asked.

"Understatement of the year," she replied, then sighing again she sat up and looked over at him, "Harry, I thought we'd talked about this."

"About what?"

"You have to stop this."

"Stop what?"

"You're wearing Draco's pants again Harry. You have to stop sulking and do something or move on. If he didn't reply to the letter by now-"

"Har babe, make sure you add new copies of the textbooks to that list, we'll want to review them as we make plans," Draco said as he walked into the room, "Oh Granger, I see you've made it home. Kreacher has a plate for you in the kitchen if you haven't eaten yet. If you have you could join us in a nightcap."

"I...you...what?" she sits shocked for only a few seconds before smiling broadly at the site of Draco wearing a pair of Gryffindor pyjama bottoms, "well it's about bloody time."

"We thought so too," the blonde replies and after pouring them each a glass of Firewhiskey they toast to the future.

 **A/N so this is it, the end of the first fan fic I ever started and it only took me 2 1/2 years to complete it smh. Big thanks to everyone who read, followed, and favorited. Huge thanks to anyone who's still reading that started in 2015 or 16. sorry it took so long to finish.**


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